Rwandan genocide priest surrenders

Up to 800,000 people were killed by militias

By the BBC's Helen Vesperini in Kigali

A Rwandan Roman Catholic priest wanted on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity has given himself up to the international tribunal for Rwanda based in the Tanzanian town of Arusha.

Athanase Seromba, who had been living in Italy sheltered by the Catholic Church for the past five years, was placed in detention when he arrived in Arusha on Wednesday night.

Human rights associations say he was behind one of the most horrifying incidents in the Rwandan genocide - the destruction by bulldozers of the church at Nyange and the 2,000 Tutsis who had taken refuge inside it.

African Rights Watch says that Father Seromba worked tirelessly at organising the genocide, encouraging Tutsis to take refuge at the parish of Nyange and then bringing militiamen and civilians to attack them.

Hiding

On the third day of the attacks, the killers were frustrated because they were not able to reach those who had barricaded themselves inside the church, and so Father Seromba allegedly organised and paid for the demolition of the church by bulldozers.

Del Ponte criticised the church's actions

The prosecutor of the Arusha tribunal, Carla del Ponte, tried to have Father Seromba extradited on 12 July last year.

But the Italian Government refused to co-operate.

The next day, the church authorities helped the priest to go into hiding at an unknown location in Tuscany.

African Rights Watch has published a list of 17 people ready to testify against Father Seromba.

The list includes the driver of one of the two bulldozers that demolished the church.

The driver has been in prison for his role in the massacre since 1995 and has consistently pointed an accusing finger at Father Seromba.

The priest denies all charges, saying he had already left Nyange when the massacres took place.