UN Wire

February 1, 2000

RWANDA: Genocide Suspect Arrested; Tribunal Seeks UK Help

Officials in Belgium, acting on a request by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), have arrested former Rwandan General Augustin Ndindiliyimana, the most senior military figure to be detained by the tribunal thus far.

Ndindiliyimana, who was chief of staff of the Rwandan military police during the country's 1994 genocide, is believed to have information regarding the killing of 10 Belgian troops that were stationed in Rwanda under UN command. Following the genocide, Ndindiliyimana fled to Belgium and won refugee status there. But the Belgian authorities have since begun attempts to try him there (BBC Online, 31 Jan).

Del Ponte Seeks British Cooperation On Arrest

In a separate case, ICTR Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte was scheduled to arrive in London yesterday for an attempt to gain British support for the arrest of another Rwandan war crimes suspect, Tharcisse Muvunyi. Muvunyi, who served as a lieutenant colonel during the 1994 genocide, was found living in London with his wife and children in 1998. When ICTR investigators went to London in 1999 to interview him, he refused to see them.

Now, Del Ponte appears ready to indict Muvunyi, who is already wanted in Rwanda on 17 charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. The United Kingdom has no extradition treaty with Rwanda and therefore has not returned Muvunyi to the country. However, there is "no doubt" that Britain will arrest him on the ICTR's behalf if asked, the London Times reports.

"If and when it comes up with an indictment, he will be arrested here and will go through an extradition process, to be handed over to the jurisdiction of the tribunal," said a spokesperson for the UK foreign office (Jon Swain, London Times, 30 Jan).

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