Rwanda genocide leader wanted by Spanish court arrested at Heathrow airport

AN INTELLIGENCE Service boss wanted by the Spanish courts for genocide has been arrested in London, according to the UK foreign office.

General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, 54, head of State security in Rwanda, was jointly responsible for the deaths of over 800,000 civilians at the hands of Hutu political extremists - mostly members of the Tutsi minority, or more moderate Hutus - in just three months in 1994.

Over the next six years, hundreds of thousands more were murdered by the paramilitary radical Hutus, led by Karake and other high-ranking politicians and members of the Armed Forces.

They included nine Spaniards, which is why the Spanish justice system was able to get involved and issue an arrest warrant for 40 members of the military or top-flight government figureheads, who include Karake, in 2008.

Officers from the extradition unit of London Metropolitan Police caught him at 09.45hrs on Saturday at Heathrow airport, according to a Scotland Yard spokesman.

He appeared in court that evening and was remanded in custody, and is due for a preliminary hearing tomorrow (Thursday).

Rwanda's foreign minister, commenting on Twitter, said she thought Karake's arrest was 'madness'.

The UK Foreign Office did not wish to give a statement to the media, but hinted at a 'long-standing and deeply-rooted relationship' between Rwanda and Britain.