Maltese prosecutors charged a Frenchman yesterday with illegally exporting a military aircraft to Ivory Coast after flying it to Malta in 2004.

Jean Jacques Fuentes was extradited from France on Friday and taken to court yesterday.

Moroccan-born Fuentes, 48, was charged with having taken a British-built Strikemaster aircraft to Ivory Coast through Malta in violation of Customs laws. He pleaded not guilty.

Court sources said prosecutors alleged that Fuentes, arrested in Bordeaux last month, brought the plane to Malta disguised as a civilian aircraft.