A coalition of forty international human rights groups has written to the British home secretary, Jack Straw, asking him to authorise the extradition of the former Chilean military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet.

The letter, from The Co-ordinating Committee Against Impunity, urges Mr Straw to think about the victims of General Pinochet's period in office.

Mr Straw must decide within eight days whether to authorise the next stage of extradition proceedings to Spain, where General Pinochet would face charges including torture and genocide.