IMF head/leading candidate for French prez arrested for rape

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The French political bigshot who heads the International Monetary Fund was arrested for allegedly sodomizing a Manhattan hotel maid today — hauled off an Air France flight just moments before takeoff from Kennedy Airport, police sources said.

Three Port Authority detectives pulled Dominique Strauss-Kahn from the plane’s first-class cabin just two minutes before it was due to depart for Paris, according to police sources.

Strauss-Kahn, 62 — who was expected to challenge Nicholas Sarkozy in the 2012 French presidential election — was turned over to NYPD officers and brought to the Special Victims Unit’s uptown squadroom.

I've been trying to figure out what the French reaction to this arrest is. They're pretty reclusive on the internet.

The centre-right President of Itally is under investigation for having intercourse with an underage girl (someone 17 years old), as well as numerous other corruption charges.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn's arrest unfolded in dramatic fashion as he was poised to fly to Europe.

A spokesman for New York's Port Authority said they detained Mr Strauss-Kahn at JFK airport at the request of the New York Police Department (NYPD).

NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Mr Strauss-Kahn had been charged with a criminal sexual act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment relating to an incident involving a 32-year-old woman.

Mr Browne said the allegations had been made by a 32-year-old woman who worked at the hotel, which has been identified as the Sofitel near Times Square. His accommodation there was described by the New York Times as a luxury suite costing $3,000 per night (£1,900).

"We received a call that a chambermaid in a hotel in midtown Manhattan had been sexually assaulted by the occupant of a luxury suite at that hotel, and that that individual had fled," Mr Browne told the BBC.

"The maid described being forcibly attacked, locked in the room and sexually assaulted," he said.

Speaking to Reuters, Mr Browne gave more details on the allegations against Mr Strauss-Kahn.

"She told detectives he came out of the bathroom naked, ran down a hallway to the [suite] foyer where she was, pulled her into a bedroom and began to sexually assault her, according to her account."

"She pulled away from him and he dragged her down a hallway into the bathroom where he engaged in a criminal sexual act, according to her account to detectives. He tried to lock her into the hotel room."

Mr Strauss-Kahn then made his way to the airport but left his mobile phone and other items behind, Mr Brown said.

"It looked like he got out of there in a hurry."

By the time police established that the occupant of the room was Mr Strauss-Kahn, the IMF chief was on board an Air France plane at John F Kennedy airport, about to depart for Paris.

"Our detectives requested of the airport authorities that they stop the plane from leaving, went to the airport and took him into custody," Mr Browne said.

"If our officers had been 10 minutes later he would have been in the air and on their way to France."

The woman has been treated at hospital for minor injuries, said Mr Browne.

Latest opinion polls had put Strauss-Kahn as clear favorite to win if he were to stand in France's 2012 presidential election. Other likely contenders from the opposition Socialist Party to unseat the ruling conservative UMP party include party leader Martine Aubry and left-wing veteran Francois Hollande.

ANNE SINCLAIR, STRAUSS-KAHN'S WIFE

"I do not believe for a single second the accusations leveled against my husband. I do not doubt his innocence will be established. I appeal for restraint and decency."

HERVE MORIN, FORMER Defense MINISTER, PRESIDENT NEW Center

PARTY

"I'm not a socialist, he is not my political friend, but despite that I call for the presumption of innocence. I will not take part in the witch hunt, with the dogs that are barking and those spreading rumors and saying 'I told you so'."

FRANCOIS BAROIN, FRENCH GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN

"We have to be extremely prudent in analysis, comments and consequences. The position of the French government respects two principles: a legal process under the authority of American justice ... and the respect of the presumption of innocence."

MARTINE AUBRY, SOCIALIST PARTY LEADER

"The news we received from New York last night struck like a thunderbolt. I call on the Socialists to stay united and reasonable.

"I urge that we wait for the facts, respect the presumption of innocence and maintain the necessary decency."

FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, CANDIDATE FOR SOCIALIST PARTY PRIMARY

"I'm flabbergasted, It's terrible news. There is a charge, but it's not proof of guilt. We have to react with emotion ... but also with reserve.

"It doesn't resemble the man I know. The sooner justice intervenes, the earlier it will be better for him, the institution he represents and for all of us."

CHRISTINE BOUTIN, PRESIDENT OF CHRISTIAN DEMOCRAT PARTY

"Do you realize the image of France in all this? It's no longer possible for DSK (Strauss-Kahn)."

SEGOLENE ROYAL, CANDIDATE FOR SOCIALIST PARTY PRIMARY

"This man must be respected, his family must be respected. I don't want to make use for myself of what has happened. I think it would be indecent to make an episode out of this today and the rest of the week."

MARINE LE PEN, NATIONAL FRONT LEADER AND 2012 CANDIDATE

"The case and the charges ... mark the end of his campaign and pre-campaign for the presidency and will most likely prompt the IMF to ask him to leave his post."

FRANCOIS BAYROU, CENTRIST FORMER PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

"All this is completely astounding, immensely troubling and distressing. If the facts prove true ... it's something degrading for all women. It's terrible for the image of France."

MICHEL TAUBMANN, STRAUSS-KAHN BIOGRAPHER

"Evidently, it could harm his career if it proves true that he has committed these acts, but if he manages to clear himself of this then it could be beneficial to him.

"If he's falsely accused, that could benefit him because the French don't like someone being wrongly accused."

JACQUES ATTALI, ECONOMIST AND PROMINENT SOCIALIST

"This will change things. We are going to have a (Socialist Party) campaign of Martine Aubry versus Francois Hollande. The presidential election is far from being decided and there can be surprises, as this shows. The current president is far from being beaten.

"The most likely outcome is that this case will stick and even if he pleads not guilty, which he may be, he won't be able to be candidate for the Socialist primary for the presidency and he won't be able to stay at the IMF."

DOMNINIQUE PAILLE, OF THE CENTRIST RADICAL PARTY

"It's absolutely crazy. If it's true it would be a historic moment, in the negative sense, for French politics... I cannot believe it.

(Reporting by John Irish, Elizabeth Pineau, Sophie Louet and Brian Love; Editing by Catherine Bremer)

How could a judge throw Strauss-Kahn, DSK no less, into Rikers Island prison, which, readers of Le Figaro newspaper were informed, was noisy, overcrowded, dangerous and filled with prisoners carrying contagious diseases?

"There are numerous very heavy barred doors that make a noise each time they are opened or closed," French lawyer Gerald Lefcourt told the paper. Worse still, he added: "The food is terrible."

...

While some viewed Strauss-Kahn and France as victims of the scandal, few spared a thought for the woman he is accused of attacking on Saturday, though she may be the true victim.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn arrested for attempted rape and sodomy of a maid in New York.



lol

A raper of countries is ironically enough also a raper of women too, who'd of thought? Seems like a pretty big deal since this guy was actually leading the polls to become the next French president. I would think this would take him out of the running, but it is France.

To be fair, the maid was probably dressed very sexily, in a maid's uniform.

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