Interpol chief ‘under arrest’
China announced yesterday that the president of Interpol – a Chinese national – who vanished on his trip home had been arrested by its anti-corruption agency.
The wife of Meng Hongwei, 64, had earlier expressed fears for his safety when he failed to return from a trip to France, where Interpol, the international police organisation, is based.
China said Meng had been detained on suspicion of ‘‘violating the law’’. The announcement was made by the National Supervisory Committee, the agency responsible for implementing President Xi Jinping’s sweeping purge of corruption among public servants.
Meng, who is also China’s vice-minister of public security, is one of a lengthening list of politicians, officials and celebrities to have fallen foul of a campaign against sleaze that is widely seen as a tool for eliminating all opposition to Xi. Fan Bingbing, the actress who disappeared for more than three months, resurfaced last week after agreeing to pay the equivalent of NZ$200 million in unpaid taxes and fines.
Neither the French government nor Interpol were told that Meng was under investigation before his arrest, and both discovered that something was wrong only when Grace, his wife, reported that he had gone missing after leaving France on September 25.
At a press conference at a hotel in Lyon, where Interpol has its headquarters, Mrs Meng said her husband had sent a text message upon his arrival in China. ‘‘Wait for my call’’, it said.
Four minutes later, using his interpol telephone, he sent her an emoji of a knife; a sign, she now believes, that he felt he was in trouble.
He did not call again. ‘‘I think he means he is in danger,’’ she said.
‘‘This is the last, last message from my husband. After that I have no call and he disappeared.’’
With a trembling voice and choking back tears, she added: ‘‘I have gone from sorrow and fear to the pursuit of truth, justice and responsibility towards history. For the husband whom I deeply love, for my young children, for the people of my motherland, for all the wives and children’s husbands and fathers to no longer disappear.’’
Urging the international community to take up the case, she said: ‘‘Although I cannot see my husband, our hearts are still tied and that’s why he’ll be OK.’’
Mrs Meng, who said she usually remained in daily contact with her husband, has been placed under police protection in France, along with their two children.
The announcement of Meng’s arrest came after Jurgen Stock, Interpol’s secretary-general, expressed his frustration on Twitter on Sunday. ‘‘Interpol has requested through official law enforcement channels clarification from China’s authorities on the status of Interpol president Meng Hongwei,’’ he wrote.
He demanded an ‘‘official response from China’s authorities to address concerns over the president’s wellbeing’’. The post of Interpol president is largely ceremonial, with the secretary-general in charge of running the organisation.
Interpol said yesterday that Meng had resigned, but did not elaborate.