NNA - A French investigating magistrate on Tuesday issued an international arrest warrant for Lebanon's central bank chief Riad Salameh, a source close to the case said.

Salameh earlier failed to appear for questioning before French investigators questioning how he amassed assets across Europe, his lawyer said.

Tuesday's hearing would have been an opportunity to press charges against him.

His lawyer, Pierre-Olivier Sur, told AFP that the summons had been sent too close to the day and was therefore "invalid."

After Salameh failed to show Tuesday, the magistrate in charge of the case had the option of issuing a fresh summons, but instead decided to issue an international warrant for his arrest.

In a statement, the governor of the BDL said that the French arrest warrant is a "violation of the law." — AFP 

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