After their amended pleas were accepted, the case against Mafart and Prieur was concluded within 30 minutes.

They remain in custody prior to sentencing at a later date.

New Zealand's Prime Minister David Lange has denied that he made a deal with France over the agents.

"This is a process of law not some sort of haggling or selling prisoners, that's not how the justice system works.

"The political system does not run the courts of New Zealand," Mr Lange said.

The bombing occurred just before the Greenpeace team were to set sail to Muroroa Atoll - a French territory in the Pacific Ocean - to protest against French nuclear testing there.

Fernando Pereira died after attempting to retrieve photographic equipment from his cabin following an initial blast just before midnight on 10 July.

He drowned after becoming trapped when a second device exploded.

The force of the explosions from two mines attached to the side of the ship was such that an eight-foot (2.5 metre) hole was opened below the waterline, sinking the Rainbow Warrior.

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