Thirteen people, among them 12 soldiers will be charged for involvement in the planing of last month's failed coup attempt in Niger, the country's Defense Minister Karidjo Mahamadou said Wednesday.

On Dec. 17, Nigerien President Mahamadou Issoufou announced the government had foiled a coup whose objective was to overthrow the current regime. Several Nigerien army officers as well as civilians were later arrested over the matter.

According to intelligence reports received by the national police, the defense minister said, the said officers were planing to use helicopters belonging to the airforce, the weapons from Tillabery battalion and the Ouallam anti-terrorist camp. He added that they had accomplices in the presidential guard unit.

Four of the suspects, including their leader, admitted to planing a coup, the minister affirmed, without giving their names.

All the suspects will be presented before a government commission in the coming days and thereafter appear before a military court.

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