A former head of the Argentine army, Cristino Nicolaides, has failed to appear in court to answer charges of stealing babies from political prisoners during military rule.

The retired general said he was too ill.

It's the second time he has failed to appear before investigating magistrates in Buenos Aires.

The Argentine authorities say that in seven years of military rule which ended in 1983, up to four-hundred babies were taken from their mothers and given to military and police families.

The mothers were killed.

Five high-ranking officers, including the former military leader, Jorge Rafael Videla, are already in custody.