Washington may challenge release of Rwanda genocide suspect

The United States government says it is committed to having a Rwandan war crimes suspect stand trial in an international court, despite his release from prison by a federal judge in Texas.

The Rwandan, Elizaphan Ntakirutimana, spent fourteen months in prison after his arrest in Laredo, Texas, last year.

He has been accused by a United Nations tribunal of crimes against humanity and complicity in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

His lawyers have rejected these charges.

The US State Department did not say if it will appeal the decision to release Mr Ntakirutimana.

It's the first time an American judge has ruled against an extradition since the UN tribunal on Rwanda was set in Tanzania three years ago.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service