French President Sarkozy sent bullet in threat letter

The threat appears to be the latest in a series of such warnings sent to right-wing personalities in recent years, apparently by a lone left-wing extremist or a group, according to investigators, AFP reported.

In the letter, the author warns what he calls the "old guard" in Sarkozy's ruling UMP party that an "accident" might befall them.

A man from the southern city of Montpellier was arrested last year after a series of letters signed by an unknown group - "The Combatants of Cell 34" - were sent to Sarkozy and several of his political allies.

The suspect, an unemployed computer programmer and military reservist, was later released after someone proclaiming himself to be the true letter writer sent details of the bullets used in previous threats to his lawyer.

The writer, or writers, has demanded a halt to France's expulsion of illegal immigrants and the release from prison of Jean-Marc Rouillan, the leader of the armed leftist group Action Directe, among others.