Defence Ministry: Guinea's military ruler was trained in Germany

Sep 30, 2009, 11:49 GMT

Berlin - The military ruler of Guinea, whose security forces opened fire earlier this week on unarmed opposition supporters killing a large number of people, received his military training in Germany.

Captain Moussa Dadis Camara spent four years at military academies in Dresden and Bremen between 1996-2005, a spokesman for the German Defence Ministry confirmed on Wednesday.

During that time he learned to speak German.

Camara has blamed 'uncontrollable' elements in the military for gunning down civilians who attended a mass rally at a football stadium the capital, Conakry.

The official deal toll for Monday's bloodbath was given as 57, but local rights activists spoke of of more than 150 deaths. Witnesses said the troops raped women during the rampage and bayoneted suspected opposition supporters.

Camara seized power at the head of a military junta in a bloodless coup launched after the death of President Lansana Conte in 2008. Recent reports said he intended to run for president of the West African in elections in January 2010.

The African bureau of Germany's ARD radio reported that the coup is referred to in Guinea as 'The German Coup' because Camara conversed with some of his fellow plotters in German.

The military leader always wears a German paratrooper badge on his red army beret, the radio said.

During a recent television discussion, Camara boasted about receiving his military training in Germany.

'When I return to Germany I will do so as president,' he reportedly said. 'The German chancellor will then welcome me. That is the minimum in respect that I anticipate.'

The German Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned the killings and demanded 'a full inquiry into the incident and punishment for the perpetrators.'

  Guinea's charge d'affairs was also summoned to the foreign ministry to explain what happened.

German government sources said military training for foreign officers in Germany was promoted by the German government in order to further democracy abroad.

Berlin was not to blame if the officers embarked on a different course when they returned home, the sources said.