Judiciary confiscates passports of Lebanon’s central bank chief after French arrest warrant

By BASSEM MROUE
Associated Press

BEIRUT (AP) — Lebanese judicial officials say a udge has questioned the country’s embattled central bank governor and confiscated his Lebanese and French passports following an arrest warrant from France over corruption charges. Riad Salameh left immediately after questioning that lasted about 80 minutes in Beirut on Wednesday. Lebanon also received five arrest warrants from Germany for Salameh and four others. France, Germany and Luxembourg are investigating Salameh and his associates over myriad alleged financial crimes, including illicit enrichment and laundering of $330 million. The French arrest warrant was issued earlier this month after Salameh did not show for questioning in Paris.