High Court Blow for Rwandan Genocide Accused

Four men accused of taking part in the 1994 Rwandan genocide today failed in a high court bid to avoid extradition from Britain.

The court dismissed their argument that home secretary John Reid had exceeded his powers by allowing the Rwandan authorities more time to file extradition requests.

Vincent Bajinya, who had changed his name to Brown, Celestin Ugirashebuja, Emmanuel Nteziryayo and Charles Munyaneza were arrested in London, Essex, Manchester, and Bedford last December.

They were held under a memorandum of understanding in which Rwanda waived the death penalty and became a temporary special extradition partner with the UK.

All four are accused in a provisional extradition warrant 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".

Their defence lawyers sought orders of "habeas corpus" to free the men from custody on the basis that the statutory 45 days in which Rwanda was required to file detailed extradition requests had expired on February 11.

The home secretary used his powers to extend the time limit under the 2003 Extradition Act to 95 days from the date of arrest.

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 for permission.

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.