Report: German judiciary asks to raid Lebanon's central bank
The German judiciary has asked Lebanon to “obtain files and documents related to the accounts of the central bank governor and his brother and assistant from inside the central bank,” media reports said.
“Lebanon’s State Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat received over the past hours a memo from the German side through the Lebanese Justice Ministry, requesting that it (German side) be allowed to raid the central bank and seize files and documents related to the accounts of Riad Salameh and his brother and assistant,” a senior judicial official told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.
The German side “clearly expressed its desire to carry out a sudden and quick raid with the accompaniment of security forces and the participation of Lebanese judges, as part of the assistance that Lebanon is offering to the European judiciary,” the official said, noting that “the German request represents a violation of Lebanese sovereignty and an attack on the immunity of state institutions.”
Oueidat “referred the German memo to Beirut First Examining Magistrate Charbel Abu Samra, seeing as the latter is the one in charge of enforcing European judicial writs,” the official added, pointing out that “the examining magistrate’s response to the German request will not be delayed.”
Once hailed as the guardian of the country's financial stability, Salameh has been accused of amassing a fortune during some three decades in the post.
He is wanted by France and Germany in connection with alleged financial irregularities, but Lebanon does not extradite its citizens.
Salameh has been the subject of judicial investigations both at home and abroad into allegations including embezzlement, money laundering, fraud and illicit enrichment. He denies the accusations.
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