Peruvian rebel lays down weapons

A Peruvian army officer who staged a revolt against the former president, Alberto Fujimori, and his intelligence chief, Vladimiro Montesinos, has come out of hiding.

In a statement from the southern province of Moquegua, the officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Ollanta Humala, said he and his men were laying down their weapons because conditions in Peru had changed since they began their rebellion in October.

Colonel Humala announced they would march to Lima on Wednesday to swear allegiance to the new president, Valentin Panigua.

Colonel Humala and about sixty men rose up in protest against a number of senior army commanders said to have strong links to Mr Montesinos, who is himself now a fugitive.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service