Condit may face further questioning

Democratic congressman Gary Condit's ordeal is not over yet

Police in Washington DC may interview Democratic congressman Gary Condit for a fourth time in connection with the missing intern, Chandra Levy.

Although the congressman is not officially a suspect in Ms Levy's disappearance, police say another interview may be needed to clarify some details concerning Mr Condit's whereabouts when Ms Levy disappeared.

A representative of the FBI, which is preparing a profile of Ms Levy as part of its investigation, would sit in on the interview.

It has emerged that US Vice-President Dick Cheney may be able to provide the congressman with an alibi on the night of Ms Levy's disappearance.

The disclosure of his affair led to calls for Condit's resignation

A spokeswoman for Mr Cheney said the vice-president met Mr Condit around the same time Ms Levy was logging off her computer in her apartment on 1 May.

A meeting between Mr Cheney and Mr Condit to discuss the California energy crisis took place between 1230 and 1250 in Mr Cheney's office in the House of Representatives, the spokeswoman said.

The 53-year-old California Democrat confirmed only during his third interview with police that he had had an affair with Ms Levy, 24, while she was an intern at the US Bureau of Prisons.

Unanswered questions

Mr Condit's lawyer says his client has co-operated with police, noting his willingness to allow the authorities to search his apartment and give a DNA sample.

But the congressman's initial failure to acknowledge a romantic relationship with Ms Levy has led to calls for his resignation.

Washington police are also investigating whether Mr Condit attempted to obstruct justice by dumping a watch box into a rubbish bin in nearby Northern Virginia hours before police searched his Washington apartment last week.

The box was later traced to another woman who had given it to Mr Condit as as a gift, according to CNN.