The Spanish judge who's leading attempts to extradite the former Chilean military ruler, General Augusto Pinochet, from Britain to face torture charges, will today submit new arguments to the Spanish foreign ministry in a bid to prevent the general's return to Chile.

The move by the judge, Baltasar Garzon, is in response to a request by the British Interior minister, Jack Straw, who on Tuesday said he was inclined to release the general on grounds of ill health but would consider legal arguments against any such move.

Judge Garzon is expected to challenge Mr Straw's decision not to make public the medical tests which led him to declare the General too ill to stand trial.

The Spanish government has said it will only forward arguments that contain new elements. Meanwhile the human rights group, Amnesty International, said today it was considering mounting a legal challenge to Mr Straw's intention to drop extradition proceedings.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service