Berlin - One of France's biggest post-war corruption trials was thrown into further disarray over the weekend when a key witness being extradited to France was detained by police in Germany, reports Derek Scally.
Mr Alfred Sirven (74), a former executive of Elf Aquitaine, France's former state-owned oil company, was arrested by police in Frankfurt on Saturday as he boarded a French military aircraft bound for Paris. Mr Sirven is believed to be a central figure behind payments made by Elf to high-profile figures in French public life, including Mr Roland Dumas, the former French foreign minister.
Frankfurt police prevented Mr Sirven from boarding a waiting French military aircraft. At a short hearing in a local court French officials argued that formal extradition procedures were not needed as Mr Sirven had indicated his willingness to return to France. However, a local judge dismissed the French appeal and ordered that Mr Sirven spend the weekend in prison until a formal extradition application could be made today.
Mr Sirven's detention is unlikely to help already strained relations between Paris and Berlin. The French Prime Minister, Mr Lionel Jospin, denied the government had made what Le Parisien called "an incredible gaffe".