Police raided offices of missiles firm MBDA last week - Aldini

Police raided the head office last week of missiles manufacturer MBDA at the request of merchant bank Aldini, which is embroiled in a legal dispute with MBDA, Aldini said. The police were denied entry however as MBDA turned them away citing the French national Defence Act, Aldini said. Officials at MBDA and at the prosecutor's department could not be immediately reached for comment.

"The raid took place last week following the decision by the court in (the Paris suburb of) Nanterre ... to issue a search warrant of the property," Aldini said in a statement. Aldini said it was in a legal tussle with MBDA over a deal last year to buy chip designer Dolphin Integration.

MBDA is jointly owned by Airbus, BAE and Leonardo.