Police sniper plummets to his death

FRANCE - A sniper from an elite police unit has died after falling from a rooftop while getting ready for a visit by President Nicolas Sarkozy in eastern France, a local official said.

The officer, who was part of a security detail from the national GIPN force, fell some 15 metres from the roof of a machine parts factory that Sarkozy was about to visit.

The French president called for a minute's silence when he reached the factory and promised to attend the funeral of the dead man, who was married and had two children.

- REUTERS