Rana Abdel Rahim Koleil, 39, was arrested Sunday in an apartment in Sao Paulo on charges of corruption. Police allege she offered a 200,000-dollar bribe to police officers who came to arrest her.

The extradition request will be handled via international police agency Interpol, which had a warrant out for Koleil\'s arrest, as Lebanon has no extradition treaty with Brazil, Brazilian television station GloboNews reported.

The report of the extradition request was not immediately confirmed by the Lebanese embassy in Brazil or the Brazilian government.

Lebanon\'s consul in Sao Paolo, Joseph Saya, told police that Koleil was suspected of having financed the February 2005 bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others in Beirut, reports said.

Koleil is also wanted for questioning by UN investigators looking into Hariri\'s killing.

Koleil, a former investment banker, is also wanted for bank fraud in Lebanon totalling 1.2 billion dollars as well as ties to the illegal arms trade and terrorist groups, Commissioner Moacir Dias of Interpol said.

Police said she denied all charges in initial questioning. She said she was a victim of political persecution due to her friendship with Hariri and feared for her life.

Suspected Syrian involvement in Hariri\'s assassination last year sparked a peaceful uprising in Lebanon and international diplomatic pressure that led Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon. (DPA)