Mitterrand's son held in laundering probe
French police have detained the eldest son of late President Francois Mitterrand for questioning in a money laundering probe into a fishing business he owns in Mauritania.
Jean-Christophe Mitterrand, already being investigated over his alleged role in an arms trafficking scandal, was summoned on Tuesday for questioning by Paris fraud police as part of the laundering probe led by investigating magistrate Philippe Courroye.
Courroye is also investigating Mitterrand for alleged complicity in the illicit sale of weapons from the former Soviet Union worth $550 million to Angola during fighting in 1993 and 1994.
Mitterrand has denied any wrongdoing in connection with the arms scandal, which cast a shadow over his father's two terms as president from 1981 to 1995. He remains under investigation in the probe into the affair.
Courroye wanted to investigate allegations of how Mitterrand was able to transfer cash to the Mauritanian fishing company despite his accounts being blocked by the authorities, a judicial source said today.
Mitterrand worked as his father's adviser for Africa from 1986 to 1992.
