Strauss-Kahn leaves New York jail under guard

NEW YORK: Former IMF leader Dominique Strauss-Kahn left Rikers Island jail on bail Friday in the custody of a private security firm to be taken to a secure New York apartment, a prison official said.

"He has left our custody and Rikers Island and is in the hands of the security company," Stephen Morello, spokesman for the New York prison authorities, told AFP in an email.

The judge has ordered the 62 year old veteran French politician who spent four nights in the sprawling Rikers jail after being charged with sexual assault to be housed in a home detention location in downtown Manhattan, close to Ground Zero.

The new arrangement was made after plans for him to live under round-the clock surveillance in a plush apartment rented by his wife, Anne Sinclair, reportedly fell through when residents in the complex objected.

Judge Michael Obus agreed the former head of the International Monetary Fund could be handed over to the security firm Stroz Friedberg and put up in temporary accommodation until a new apartment is found.

But he further ordered that Strauss-Kahn cannot leave his temporary accommodation, except for medical emergencies, until a new apartment is found.

Under the terms of his bail, Strauss-Kahn must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet at all times, be kept under at least one armed guard, and the apartment must have 24 hour video monitoring and alarms on all exterior doors.

Once Strauss-Kahn is confined to his new lodgings, a curfew from 10:00 pm until 6:00 am will be imposed on him, and he can receive no more than four visitors at any one time in addition to family members.

He may only leave the residence to see lawyers, go to court, seek medical care and attend religious services once a week.

And at all times, the man used to hopping on planes and jet-setting around the world in the lap of luxury, must remain within the confines of Manhattan.

Strauss-Kahn has also posted $6 million in bail and bonds as he awaits his next June 6 hearing on charges of sexual assaulting a Guinean chambermaid in a Manhattan hotel on Saturday.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011