EADS executive detained in trading probe

updated 7:34 a.m. ET July 9, 2008

PARIS - Andreas Sperl, the former CFO of Airbus and current head of the EADS Dresden plant in Germany, was detained by French police on Wednesday as part of an insider trading probe, his lawyer Christian Curtil said.

Sperl is the fourth person to be detained in the probe of Airbus parent EADS, and the first who still works for the company.

French authorities have filed preliminary charges against former co-CEO Noel Forgeard, Jean-Paul Gut, a former deputy chief executive who oversaw strategy, and Gustav Humbert, a former Airbus president.

Investigators are looking at share sales at EADS before a June 2006 announcement of delays for Airbus’ A380 superjumbo that sent shares of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. NV tumbling.

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