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Ex-Khmer Rouge minister detained Key Khmer Rouge figures arrested
(about 2 hours later)
Police and officials from Cambodia's UN-backed genocide tribunal have taken former Khmer Rouge Foreign Minister Ieng Sary into custody. Police in Cambodia have arrested two leading figures from the 1970s Khmer Rouge regime to face charges of crimes against humanity and war crimes.
Ieng Sary and his wife, former social affairs minister Ieng Thirith, were driven to Phnom Penh's special courts. Former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary and his wife, Ieng Thirith, were taken into custody in the capital, Phnom Penh.
They will appear before judges who will decide if they should face charges. They were taken to appear before judges at a UN-backed genocide tribunal.
Ieng Sary was the brother-in-law of Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot. Some one million people are thought to have died under the Khmer Rouge's 1975-1979 rule. The two were at the heart of the Khmer Rouge regime, under whose brutal four-year rule more than one million people are thought to have died.
A special court was established last year to bring surviving leaders of the brutal regime to the dock. Trials are expected to start in 2008. A tribunal was established last year to bring surviving leaders of the regime to the dock.
Two senior Khmer Rouge officials have already been charged by the court. "Today Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith have been arrested in execution of an arrest warrant... for crimes against humanity and war crimes as regards Ieng Sary and for crimes against humanity concerning Ieng Thirith," a statement from the tribunal said.
Pol Pot's second-in command, Nuon Chea, and the head of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison Kang Kek Ieu - also known as Duch - both face charges of crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Purge of intellectualsPurge of intellectuals
Police surrounded the Phnom Penh house of Ieng Sary and his wife early in the morning. Police surrounded the couple's Phnom Penh house early in the morning.
WHO WERE THE KHMER ROUGE? Maoist regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979Founded and led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998 Abolished religion, schools and currency in a bid to create agrarian utopiaBrutal regime that did not tolerate dissentMore than a million people thought to have died from starvation, overwork or execution Brutal Khmer Rouge regimeWHO WERE THE KHMER ROUGE? Maoist regime that ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979Founded and led by Pol Pot, who died in 1998 Abolished religion, schools and currency in a bid to create agrarian utopiaBrutal regime that did not tolerate dissentMore than a million people thought to have died from starvation, overwork or execution Brutal Khmer Rouge regime
They searched the house for around three hours and then drove the couple away in a convoy of vehicles. They searched the house for three hours and then drove Ieng Sary and his wife to the tribunal in a convoy of vehicles.
They will face a short hearing at the courts and will likely be charged later in the day, says the BBC's Guy Delauney in Phnom Penh. The couple, who have been living freely in the Cambodian capital for more than 10 years, were key members of the Khmer Rouge leadership.
The couple, who have been living freely in the Cambodian capital for more than 10 years, were at the heart of the Khmer Rouge leadership. Ieng Sary was Pol Pot's brother-in-law - his wife's sister was married to the Khmer Rouge founder. His wife, Ieng Thirith, was the Khmer Rouge's social affairs minister.
Ieng Thirith's sister was married to Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge founder who died in 1998. As foreign minister, he was often the only point of contact between Cambodia's rulers and the outside world.
Ieng Sary, meanwhile, was responsible for convincing many educated Cambodians who had fled the Khmer Rouge to return to help rebuild the country. He was responsible for convincing many educated Cambodians who had fled the Khmer Rouge to return to help rebuild the country.
Many were then tortured and executed as part of the purge of intellectuals, some of them diplomats from his own office.Many were then tortured and executed as part of the purge of intellectuals, some of them diplomats from his own office.
Prosecutors for the tribunal have said there is evidence of Ieng Sary's participation in crimes, including planning, directing and coordinating forced labour and unlawful killings. Prosecutors for the tribunal have said there is evidence of Ieng Sary's participation in crimes, including planning, directing and co-ordinating forced labour and unlawful killings.
Ieng Sary has repeatedly denied any crime. In 1996 he became the first senior Khmer Rouge leader to defect - and as a result was granted a royal pardon. Ieng Sary has repeatedly denied any crime. In 1996 he became the first senior leader from the Maoist regime to defect and as a result was granted a royal pardon.
But, says our correspondent, the validity of that agreement looks set to be tested with his arrest by the court. But analysts say the validity of that agreement looks set to be tested with his arrest by the court.
Ageing leaders
Ieng Sary and Ieng Thirith are the third and fourth people to be targeted by the tribunal.
KHMER ROUGE TRIBUNAL Will try cases of genocide and crimes against humanityFive judges (three Cambodian) sit in trial courtCases decided by majorityMaximum penalty is life imprisonmentBudget of $56.3m Key figures facing trial
In September, Pol Pot's second-in command, 82-year-old Nuon Chea, was charged with war crimes and crimes against humanity.
Two months before that, Kang Kek Ieu - or Duch - the head of the notorious Tuol Sleng prison, was charged with crimes against humanity.
Their trials, before a team of Cambodian and international judges, are expected to start in 2008.
Other top leaders are already dead. Pol Pot died in 1998 and Ta Mok - the regime's military commander and one of his most ruthless henchmen - died in July 2006.