PARIS, Nov 3 (Reuters) - France's financial prosecutor hasrequested a trial for HSBC Holdings and its Swiss privatebanking unit on suspicions it helped customers dodge taxes in2006-2007, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters.
"We take note of the recommendation... and willcontinue to defend ourselves vigorously," HSBC said in anemailed comment to Reuters.
The bank was put under formal investigation last year. Itwill be up to investigating magistrates to decide on whether it should stand trial.
Magistrates had previously estimated the Swiss arm's allegedfraud at around 2.2 billion euros (1.66 billion pound).
HSBC has admitted failings in controls at the Swiss privatebank, but denied knowledge of wrongdoing. (Reporting by Chine Labbe; Additional reporting by MatthiasBlamont in Paris and Lawrence White in London; Writing by MayaNikolaeva; Editing by Andrew Callus)