Beirut, Mar 16 (AP) Under heavy security, Lebanon's embattled Central Bank chief was questioned Thursday for the first time before a visiting European legal team in a money-laundering probe linked to the governor.

Several European countries are investigating Gov. Riad Salameh, who in recent years has been charged with a handful of corruption-related crimes. Salameh has been the head of Lebanon's Central Bank since 1993.

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The questioning was originally scheduled for Wednesday, when Salameh failed to show up.

According to Lebanon's state-run National News Agency, Salameh's legal team filed a complaint saying that the presence of foreign judges violates the country's sovereignty.

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The judiciary later dismissed the complaint, saying their presence was in line with Lebanon's international obligations.

Lebanese Army soldiers and police officers stood guard around the Justice Palace in Beirut after Salameh arrived earlier in the day with his own five-lawyer team.

About a dozen protesters gathered and chanted slogans against the 72 year-old central bank chief and the cash-strapped country's political leadership.

The European delegation — with representatives from France, Germany, and Luxembourg — are questioning Salameh through another Lebanese judge, acting as a go-between.

Under Lebanese laws, they cannot directly question Salameh. The questioning is likely to last hours.

Judge Helena Iskandar, who is representing the Lebanese state at the questioning in the European probe, has charged Salameh, his brother Raja and associate Marianne Hoayek with corruption, judicial officials told The Associated Press on Wednesday, after the governor did not show up. Their assets were also frozen.

She also called on the Lebanese judge questioning Salameh on behalf of the European delegation to order his arrest and that of the two other suspects, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to speak to the media. However, no warrant was issued.

In addition to the European probe, there are other legal proceedings against Salameh underway in Lebanon.

In late February, Beirut's public prosecutor, Raja Hamoush, charged the same three suspects — the governor, his brother and the aide — with corruption, including embezzling public funds, forgery, illicit enrichment, money-laundering and violation of tax laws.

The European delegation is investigating the laundering of some USD 330 million.

Lebanon is grappling with the worst economic and financial crisis in its modern history, an economic meltdown that began in late 2019, rooted in decades of corruption and mismanagement by the country's political class.

More than 75 per cent of the tiny nation's population of 6 million has been plunged into poverty.

Salameh was once hailed as the guardian of Lebanon's financial stability, but many in the country now hold him responsible for the crisis, citing policies that drove up national debt.

He still enjoys backing from the country's top politicians, however. His term ends in July and he has told local media that he would like to step down from his post instead of pursuing another term.

Salameh's questioning by the European team is a major breakthrough and a development free from meddling by political players, according to Nizar Saghieh, a rights lawyer and co-founder of Lebanese watchdog group Legal Agenda.

“Such autonomy in defending the state's interests might open lots of doors and limit the political hegemony,” Saghieh added. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)