The Laurent-Graciet case, this is like being in a bad movie, French FM

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius likened Sunday the case of the two French journalists Eric Laurent and Catherine Graciet who attempted to blackmail Morocco and its King Mohammed VI to a bad movie.

“This is like being in a bad movie,” Laurent Fabius said in a first response by a French official to the case that broke out last Thursday when the two blackmailers were arrested by the French police.

The two journalists had threatened to publish a harmful book on Morocco unless they get €3 million.

However, part of the negotiations held between the two blackmailers and a lawyer representing Morocco were recorded and filmed, as Morocco had lodged a complaint against them, which enabled to catch them red handed.

In his statement, Laurent Fabius made it clear that ”the incident should not however undermine a difficult reconciliation between France and Morocco.”

“French President Francois Hollande will formalize this reconciliation by an official visit to Morocco in mid-September,” he was quoted by French media as saying.

“This case does not at all shake relations between our two countries. It is a common law case,” he insisted.

Meanwhile, as the two journalists hinted separately that they will have the book, cause of their current judicial difficulties, published, “Le Seuil” publishing house announced Monday that it would not issue the two French journalists’ work.

In a statement relayed by French media, the publishing house said that the “trust relationship” between the publisher and the authors of the book was “de facto dissolved.”

“In these circumstances, the proposed publication should not take place,” the statement said.

Eric Laurent and his accomplice Catherine Graciet were indicted early Saturday before they were released and put under judicial supervision.