London--British police have arrested the head of Rwanda's intelligence service on a warrant issued by Spain, officials said Tuesday, sparking outrage from Kigali.
The police said Karenzi Karake was held on suspicion of war crimes, apparently in reference to a 2008 arrest warrant from a Spanish court for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and terrorism.
However, a Spanish judicial source said some of those allegations have since been dropped and Karake was now wanted for terrorism offences relating to the deaths of several Spaniards in Rwanda in the 1990s.
The Rwandan government condemned the detention of the 54-year-old general, who has been President Paul Kagame's spy chief since 2011, branding it an "outrage."
"Western solidarity in demeaning Africans is unacceptable!!" Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said on Twitter, calling the arrest "lunacy."
Justice Minister Johnston Busingye has "sought explanation" from British authorities over the move, which came after Karake had been on official business in London for a week, according to Rwanda's New Times newspaper.
Karake was arrested on Saturday morning at London's Heathrow Airport and after an initial court hearing, was remanded in custody pending another hearing on Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said.
Busingye had been due in Spain on Tuesday for a meeting with his counterpart Rafael Catala, but Spanish officials said he had cancelled the visit.
AFP
