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`Spiderman' set free in Malaysia

Malaysian police yesterday freed "Spiderman" Alain Robert after the Frenchman was detained in his second attempt to scale the nation's Petronas Twin Towers without ropes or safety equipment, a top security official said.

The 44-year-old rock-climber, brandishing a Malaysian flag, was grabbed by firemen waiting on the 60th floor of one of the 88-storey towers, previously the world's tallest buildings.

"As he was climbing up, we managed to coax him to stop and get back into the building," fire department spokesman Christopher Chong told reporters.

"He smiled, said, `Okay' and waved the Malaysian flag at us before we pulled him in through the window," Chong said.

Robert was stopped on the same floor when he attempted the same stunt exactly 10 years ago.

A crowd of up to 500 onlookers cheered the Frenchman as he was bundled into a waiting police car below.

Police said that Robert would be held at a Kuala Lumpur district police station at least overnight to help investigations into his climb.

"If he is found to have no permission to climb the tower, then we will charge him for trespassing," District Assistant Police Commissioner Mohamad Zulkarnain said.

Mohamad said that Robert had been freed on bail and his passport impounded, and that government lawyers were examining police reports to decide whether the Frenchman should be charged in court for trespassing.

If found guilty, Robert could be fined 2,000 ringgit (US$570) and jailed for up to a year, or both, he said.

At least 20 policemen and a fire engine with some 15 firemen were sent to the building.

Traffic along the road facing the towers slowed to watch Robert, clad in black pants and yellow shirt, while many used mobile camera phones to record the feat.

Robert's attempt was witnessed by the president of the French Senate, Christian Poncelet, who is on an official visit to Malaysia.

"There are always people who look to distinguish themselves from others but he could have done it elsewhere," Poncelet said.

"This attempt is risky," he added.

Chong said that the fire department was familiar with Robert's "stunts," since he had tried to scale the same building on March 20, 1997.

He was freed without charge after that attempt.

Robert has been nicknamed "Spiderman" for his high-profile escapades which include climbing the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.
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