PARIS, 17 JAN: Relatives of the ousted Tunisian leader Mr Zine El Abidine Ben Ali are thought to have fled the country with 1.5 tonne in gold, 'Le Monde' reported today, citing French Intelligence sources.
At today's prices 1.5 tonne in gold would fetch US$ 65 million on the open market. According to Le Monde, President Nicolas Sarkozy's office has been briefed by French Intelligence that Ms Leila Trabelsi, Mr Ben Ali's second wife, withdrew gold ingots from the Tunisian central bank last week.
The governor initially resisted her request, but backed down under pressure from Mr Ben Ali himself, the report said.
Mr Ben Ali and Ms Leila have now fled Tunisia, under pressure from an unprecedented wave of street protests and amid anger that their family is accused of looting the country's resources.
