SocGen trader Kerviel held for questioning -source

PARIS, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Police have taken into custody the trader blamed for a $7 billion fraud at French bank Societe Generale (SOGN.PA: Quote, Profile, Research), a judicial source said on Saturday.

The source said Jerome Kerviel, 31, was being held for questioning. Under French law, suspects can be held for an initial 24-hour period before any charges are pressed, but this can be extended.

Kerviel was taken to a police station in Paris at around 2.00 p.m. (1300 GMT). The young trader has not been seen in public since SocGen stunned the financial world on Thursday when it unveiled the record trading loss. (Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Andrew Hurst)