THE LAWYER FOR a French novelist says she will file a lawsuit accusing former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of attempted rape.

Lawyer David Koubbi said that Tristane Banon will file the suit Tuesday in Paris.

Banon has described an encounter several years ago in which Strauss-Kahn allegedly assaulted her. Koubbi said that the alleged incident took place in 2002 when Banon went to a flat in Paris to interview him, the BBC reports.

Banon’s mother, Anne Mansouret – who was a politician in Strass-Kahn’s party – said that she had discouraged her daughter from reporting her allegations to the police at the time.

Strauss-Kahn was arrested in New York in May on charges of attempted rape of a maid working at the Sofitel hotel in Manhattan. Strauss-Kahn, who denied wrongdoing, was released without bail last week after questions emerged about the maid’s credibility.

Koubbi had previously said that his client would not file a lawsuit until the American trial was finished. However, on Monday he said that they had decided to move forward now instead of waiting.

Additional reporting by the AP

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