Six French aid workers will soon be released from prison near Paris after Idriss Déby the President of Chad today pardoned them for the planned abduction of children in the so-called Zoe's Ark affair last October.

The six were detained on October 25 as they were about to put the children on a French-bound flight from the main eastern Chad town of Abeche, across the border from Darfur. Most of the children destined illegally for foster care in France turned out to be Chadian, not war refugees, and to have at least one living parent.

Eric Bréteau, the charity's head and five colleagues were sentenced on December 26 to eight years hard labour, before being sent to France to continue in jail. Mr Sarkozy flew to Chad to bring back flight crew and two French journalists who were with the Zoe's group.

After intervention by President Sarkozy, it was certain that Mr Déby, who owes his survival in power to French army support, would grant the pardon. However pending his decision, French modified the sentences on Bréteau, his partner Emilie Lelouch, logistics chief Alain Péligat, volunteer firefighter Dominique Aubry and team doctor Philippe van Winkelberg and nurse Nadia Merimi.

Lawyers said that the group's release would come as soon as paperwork is complete. However wrangling continues over payment of damages of €6.3 million (£5 million) that the Chadian court ordered Zoe's Ark to pay.

The French Government, which supported Déby when rebels attacked the Chadian capital in February, welcomed news that a presidential pardon was on the cards. However it refused to pay the damages imposed on the Zoe's team.

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