Sawt Falasteen - French celebrity writer Beigbeder arrested

Broadcaster Franceinfo, however, said he was being questioned as part of an investigation into an accusation of rape, brought against the writer by a woman during the summer.

According to the Franceinfo report, the woman said she had a consensual sexual encounter with Beigbeder in a hotel room, and then another, non-consensual, encounter later the same night.

The interrogation of the 58-year-old writer, who lives in the French Basque country, started at 9:00 am (0800 GMT), prosecutor Rodolphe Jarry told AFP.

He declined to give the reason for the arrest, but said it was not related to drugs.

In 2008, Beigbeder had been arrested in Paris for consuming and possessing cocaine.

He later said he had given up using cocaine, which he described as "a drug for old square people".

Beigbeder's most successful novels include "Holiday in a Coma" and "Love Lasts Three Years".

He explores love, politics and the glitzy side of Paris in his writing.

S.Barghouti--SF-PST