UPDATE 2-French court stops probe of African leaders' assets

The result was a thick file listing dozens of bank accounts, properties in rich districts of Paris and on the Riviera, and a collection of Bugattis, Ferraris, Maybachs, Maseratis and other luxury cars.

The heads of state have denied that these were bought with embezzled public funds.

The case is delicate for France. It risks straining relations with two ex-colonies, Gabon and Congo Republic, and with an oil producer of growing importance, Equatorial Guinea.

On the other hand, the halting of the case will immediately raise suspicions that some African leaders are untouchable because of French interests in their countries.

One of the presidents originally targeted by the probe, Omar Bongo of Gabon, died in June, but the police documents seen by Reuters also implicate his son and successor, Ali Ben Bongo.

The Bongo family owns 39 properties in France, mostly in exclusive districts of Paris and on the Riviera.

Omar Bongo and his Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou-Nguesso enjoyed close ties with successive French rulers and backing from Paris at testing moments of their careers.

Sassou-Nguesso and his relatives have 24 French properties, including a Paris mansion worth 18.9 million euros ($28 million) -- the single most valuable asset mentioned in the police file.

Tiny Equatorial Guinea is a former Spanish colony, but other Western powers including France have shown growing interest in it since it emerged as the third-biggest oil producer in sub-Saharan Africa, after Nigeria and Angola.