Swiss court to rule on fate of Polanski 'within next weeks'

Lawyers for Roman Polanski today began legal moves to have the director released from Swiss custody - the first step in his legal battle to avoid extradition to the United States for having sex with an underage girl.

The Swiss Federal Criminal Court announced the filing and said "the decision will be made within the next weeks".

Swiss Justice Ministry spokesman Guido Balmer said the court will decide on the legality of the American request for Polanski's apprehension.

It appeared that the 76-year-old could stay incarcerated throughout the proceedings and through any appeal.

Polanski was held in Switzerland on Saturday, causing an outcry from prominent European supporters.

The arrest also prompted questions about why US authorities chose to act now, even though Polanski had been living in Europe for decades.

Polanski today said he was determined to fight his detention in Switzerland and extradition to the US. His lawyer Herve Temime said the director was "in fighting mood" and he would seek his release "without delay".

He added that the director of Chinatown and The Pianist was "shocked and dumbfounded" by his arrest.

Mr Balmer said that the Justice Ministry and Polanski could seek to overturn any decision at the Federal Tribunal, Switzerland's highest court. "We will examine the ruling and then decide what we will do," he said, declining to speculate on if or when Polanski could get out of jail.

American prosecutors have disputed a claim by Polanski that they had never tried to arrest him after he fled overseas 31 years ago.

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office said it had made multiple contacts with several countries in efforts to seize the film-maker.

Chief Inspector Thomas Hession of the US Marshals Service said Polanski's arrest came now because authorities had advance knowledge and the opportunity.