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Last Updated: Thursday, 19 April 2007, 18:43 GMT 19:43 UK
French Muslim graves desecrated
Desecrated graves of Muslim WWI soldiers near Arras in northern France
Thousands of North African soldiers fought for France in WWI
Nazi slogans and swastikas have been daubed on about 50 graves in the Muslim section of a French WWI cemetery.

The military cemetery, near Arras in the north of France, is one of the country's biggest and is on the site of some of the war's early battles.

French President Jacques Chirac said the desecration "was an unspeakable act that scars the conscience".


Rival presidential candidates Segolene Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy also condemned the vandalism.

"This desecration is all the more shocking because it affects the graves of fighters who gave their lives for France," Mr Chirac said in a statement.

The official prosecutor's office said none of the graves had been destroyed.

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