France, Official Terror Sponsor, Newspaper

France became the main sponsor of terrorist groups operating in the Sahel, wrote French-speaking newspaper “L’Aube”.
The paper said that France’s support is manifested in the payment of ransoms to hostage-takers affiliated with terrorist groups, explaining that the release of French hostage Olivier Dubois and American Jeffrey Woodke provides further evidence of the connivance between France and the JNIM.
According to the newspaper, Paris paid a ransom of 12 to 13 million euros to obtain this double release.
France has always been the main donor of terrorism in the Sahel, it said, recalling one of the most resounding cases of hostage-taking in Arlit (Niger). It quoted daily “Le Monde” as saying that a sum of 20 to 25 million euros had been paid to the kidnappers.
The New York Times wrote in 2014 that France has been the champion of ransom payments to al-Qaeda, since 2008. “The amount paid by Paris to various terrorist groups as ransoms are estimated at 58 million euros.”
Paris ranks ahead of Qatar, Oman, Switzerland, and Spain, according to figures by New York Times.
One-third of the 53 hostages taken in the past five years by various Al-Qaeda organizations, primarily in the Islamic Maghreb, were French because France encourages kidnapping as part of its two-sided policy, wrote “L’aube”.
In an investigation, the “New York Times” said that Al-Qaeda earned $125 million in ransom money since 2008, largely paid by France and European neighbors.
G8 leaders pledged to unequivocally reject the payment of ransom to terrorists, but without imposing a formal ban.