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| Congo's Bemba to stand ICC trial | Congo's Bemba to stand ICC trial |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Congolese ex-Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba will face five counts of war crimes, the International Criminal Court has ruled. | Congolese ex-Vice-President Jean-Pierre Bemba will face five counts of war crimes, the International Criminal Court has ruled. |
| The charges relate to the actions of his troops in the neighbouring Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. | The charges relate to the actions of his troops in the neighbouring Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. |
| Mr Bemba has denied all charges, saying the militia was not under his command once they had crossed the border. | Mr Bemba has denied all charges, saying the militia was not under his command once they had crossed the border. |
| He led a rebel movement during DR Congo's long civil war but became vice-president under a peace deal. | He led a rebel movement during DR Congo's long civil war but became vice-president under a peace deal. |
| Mr Bemba is the most high-profile of four Congolese warlords facing trial at the ICC. | Mr Bemba is the most high-profile of four Congolese warlords facing trial at the ICC. |
| A pre-trial panel of judges "found that there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is criminally responsible" for murders, rapes and pillaging, said a statement from the ICC. | A pre-trial panel of judges "found that there is sufficient evidence to establish substantial grounds to believe that Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo is criminally responsible" for murders, rapes and pillaging, said a statement from the ICC. |
| He is to face trial on three counts of war crimes and two of crimes against humanity. | He is to face trial on three counts of war crimes and two of crimes against humanity. |
| JEAN-PIERRE BEMBA Son of famous businessmanFormer assistant to Mobutu Sese Seko1998: Helped by Uganda to former MLC rebel group2003: Becomes vice-president under peace deal2006: Loses run-off election to President Joseph Kabila but gets most votes in western DR Congo2007: Flees after clashes in Kinshasa href="/2/hi/africa/7767902.stm">Warlord trial gives victims hope href="/2/hi/africa/6085536.stm">Profile: Jean-Pierre Bemba | |
| Fighters from his Movement for the Liberation of Congo were accused of committing atrocities when they intervened in the conflict in CAR. | Fighters from his Movement for the Liberation of Congo were accused of committing atrocities when they intervened in the conflict in CAR. |
| At a pre-trial hearing in January, the prosecutor said: | At a pre-trial hearing in January, the prosecutor said: |
| "Bemba wanted to traumatise and terrorise the civilian population so they would not support the rebels." | "Bemba wanted to traumatise and terrorise the civilian population so they would not support the rebels." |
| "He chose rape as his main method... rapes against mothers in the presence of their children and rapes of children as their parents were forced to watch." | "He chose rape as his main method... rapes against mothers in the presence of their children and rapes of children as their parents were forced to watch." |
| Mr Bemba, 46, was arrested in Belgium last May and extradited to The Hague in July. | Mr Bemba, 46, was arrested in Belgium last May and extradited to The Hague in July. |
| One of his defence lawyers suggested that the charges may be politically motivated, to remove Mr Bemba from future elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. | One of his defence lawyers suggested that the charges may be politically motivated, to remove Mr Bemba from future elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo. |
| He lost a landmark run-off election against President Joseph Kabila in 2006. | He lost a landmark run-off election against President Joseph Kabila in 2006. |
| He fled the country after being charged with treason after his bodyguards clashed with the army in 2007. | He fled the country after being charged with treason after his bodyguards clashed with the army in 2007. |