Date Published: 09/12/11

Police question Strauss-Kahn in French assault case

Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Former IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn was questioned by French police on Monday over acomplaint of attempted rape, filed after his May arrest in New York.

Tristane Banon, a journalist and writer some 30 years his junior, saysStrauss-Kahn assaulted her in 2003 in a Paris apartment where he had invited herto interview him for a book she was writing.

The former IMF chief, once seen as a favourite to challenge Nicolas Sarkozyfor the French presidency, returned to France after U.S. prosecutors droppedcharges last month that he tried to rape a hotel maid.

He was questioned by Paris police for about three hours before leaving thestation around 0900 (GMT) in a car without making any comment tojournalists.

His French lawyers said in a statement that Strauss-Kahn, who has yet to makeany public comment since returning to his Paris home, had asked to be heard bypolice as soon as scheduling allowed.

Other high profile witnesses, including Socialist presidential candidateFrancois Hollande, have been questioned by police in the case to determinewhether they had any knowledge of Banon's allegations.One issue is whether her allegations against Strauss-Kahn amount to attemptedrape or sexual assault.

In France the statute of limitations for sexual assault cases is three years,versus 10 years for attempted rape.

(Reuters/NAN)