Rwanda accused freedom bid fails

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/6447893.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Four men fighting extradition from the UK over their alleged roles in the 1994 Rwanda genocide have failed to overturn a decision to detain them.

The court dismissed arguments that Home Secretary John Reid exceeded his powers by extending the time limits for Rwanda to file its extradition requests.

The men were arrested in London, Manchester, Essex and Bedfordshire three months ago.

Rwanda waived the death penalty to enable extradition from the UK.

The accused men are Vincent Bajinya, who has changed his name to Brown, Celestin Ugirashebuja, Emmanuel Nteziryayo and Charles Munyaneza.

They face charges of killing, or conspiring with or aiding and abetting others to kill, members of the Tutsi ethnic group "with the intent to destroy in whole, or in part, that group".

The men deny all the charges.

Habeas corpus

Defence lawyers sought orders of "habeas corpus" freeing the men from custody on the basis that the statutory 45 days expired on 11 February with no detailed documents received from Rwanda.

The judges were told that documentation had now been received from Rwanda, but had not yet been examined to establish whether it was in valid form and provided evidence of a prima facie case.

Lord Justice Latham and Mr Justice Lloyd Jones refused them permission to appeal to the House of Lords against today's ruling, but said this did not prevent them from applying direct to the Law Lords.