The Bank of France’s governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau was attacked with a hammer in the Swiss city of Basel in late June, a newspaper reported Wednesday.
Contacted by AFP, the French central bank confirmed that an “isolated incident” had taken place but “without any consequences”. It specified that the bank’s chief was not hurt.
The Tribune de Geneve newspaper reported that the attack took place on June 26 near the Bank for International Settlements headquarters in Basel.
Villeroy de Galhau, 63, chairs the board of BIS — the institution considered the central bank of central banks.
The attack happened in the short distance between the BIS and the border city’s railway station.
Villeroy de Galhau was crossing the square in front of the station “when a man approached him from behind and hit him on the head with a hammer”, the Tribune de Geneve said, adding that it was not yet clear whether the assailant was targeting the bank chief.
Villeroy de Galhau fell to the ground but thanks to “the courageous intervention of passers-by, the police were able to arrest the suspect, a 39-year-old Swiss”, the daily said.
The following day, Basel City’s public prosecutor said a 63-year-old man had been hit on the head with an object, without identifying the victim.
Three months on, prosecutors confirmed they were investigating a suspected attempted homicide but gave no further information when contacted by AFP.
The BIS declined to comment.
Asked about whether it would now strengthen security measures, it told AFP: “We don’t discuss security arrangements for our meetings.”
The institution held its annual general meeting on June 26.
The Tribune de Geneve said the suspect was in pre-trial detention and had consistently denied the attack.
