Polanski's lawyers vow to fight Switzerland detention (AFP)

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AFP - Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski was in detention on Monday in Switzerland after his arrest over a 1977 childsex case in Los Angeles, as his attorneys vowed to fight his extradition to the United States.

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"His wife and his children were very shocked by the arrest," his lawyer Herve Temine told France's Le Figaro daily.

"We will be demanding that he be freed. Then we will fight the extradition," Le Figaro on Monday quoted him as saying.

Termine said Polanski travelled the world over, adding: "to the best of my knowledge, the United States is the only country he abstains from visiting.

A Swiss justice ministry spokesman said Polanski was being held under a 2005 international alert issued by the US government.

A final extradition decision could only be taken after the judicial process has been "finalised," the spokesman said, adding that appeals were possible against the arrest warrant as well as any extradition decision.

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Polish-French director Roman Polanski attends the opening ceremony of the 8th edition of the Marrakesh film festival, 2008. Swiss police detained Polanski and could extradite him to the United States for having sex with a 13-year-old girl three decades ago, authorities said. (AFP/File/Abdelhak Senna)