Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press; Wednesday, December 24, 1997 19:32:00
The new investigations bring the number of suspects in the case to more than 30, including former Prime Minister Laurent Fabius and two of his Cabinet ministers.
Four former health officials, including the doctor who headed the National Center for Blood Transfusion, already have been convicted on charges related to the case.
The scandal deeply shook public confidence in France's health system. More than 500 recipients of the tainted blood have since died.
A former head of a regional blood transfusion center and several doctors and officials with similar responsibilities are being investigated for "poisoning and not helping people in danger," the daily Le Monde said.
Investigating judges suspect that Najib Duedari, former director of the Val-de-Marne regional blood center, organized the collection of blood from prisoners even though he knew the blood had a high risk of being infected with AIDS, Le Monde said.
French judicial officials could not immediately be reached for comment.
Fabius and the two ministers have been accused of choosing not to buy technology that would have prevented the tragedy. All three say they never knowingly have approved the use of tainted blood.
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