Reports in Britain say the Chilean former military leader, General Augusto Pinochet, is to appeal against a ruling authorising his possible extradition, on the grounds that one of the judges may have been influenced by his wife, who works for the human rights group, Amnesty International.

The Guardian newspaper says General Pinochet's lawyers will try to have the ruling annulled.

The General is currently waiting for the British Home Secretary to decide whether to authorise the next stage of extradition proceedings to Spain where he would face charges including genocide and torture.