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Wednesday, 1 March, 2000, 18:48 GMT

D-day for Pinochet

UK Home Secretary Jack Straw will announce on Thursday morning whether he intends to spare General Augusto Pinochet extradition to Spain for alleged human rights crimes.

Mr Straw has been considering the responses of four EU countries who challenged a UK medical report which said the former Chilean dictator was unfit to stand trial.

In January the home secretary said he was "minded" to release the general from house arrest in Surrey on the strength of the report which said the 84-year-old had "extensive brain damage". General Pinochet

But a final decision on the matter will be made on Thursday at 0800 GMT, said the home secretary in a written parliamentary reply.

He added that he would give "full reasons for my decision".

If Mr Straw confirms his original decision, it will give Pinochet's opponents little room for manoeuvre.

End of the line?

A decision to halt extradition proceedings is expected to prompt frantic activity amongst campaigners on both of the battle.

We are aware that of course we could appeal. But we consider that the margin for action is very narrow
Belgian Government

Pinochet's supporters will try to whisk the general out of the country as soon as possible - a Chilean Air Force jet has been on standby at RAF Brize Norton to fly him to freedom since earlier this year.

And campaigners who have fought to have him extradited may well seize the opportunity to mount a last-minute legal challenge.

France, Switzerland, Belgium and Spain lodged last-minute challenges to the medical report last week, arguing that further tests on the general were needed.

But it is extremely unlikely that the general will agree to undergo any further medical tests at the request of the other states and the home secretary has no power to order him to submit to an examination.

Amnesty International, which took part in the action for a judicial review of the home secretary's decision to keep the medical report secret, said it had done all it could. supporters

A spokesman told BBC News Online: "We have tried to say to Jack Straw that he hasn't been fair and open in the decision-making process, and have succeeded in getting a judicial review.

"There is not sufficient reason for us to be able to take further action, although other interested parties like Belgium and Spain will consider their positions.

"As far as the process goes, we think we have done as much as we can."

A spokesman for the Belgian Foreign Ministry said the country would wait for the announcement before deciding on a course of action.

He said: "We are aware that of course we could appeal. But we consider that the margin for action is very narrow. We are also aware that Pinochet can refuse to sustain another medical examination."

As far as the process goes, we think we have done as much as we can
Amnesty International

Copies of the report leaked to Spanish newspapers revealed that the medical experts had found evidence of "extensive brain damage" in the general, linked to a series of strokes.

The general was suffering from memory loss and had difficulties expressing himself and understanding complicated phrases, the report said.

Pinochet was arrested in London in October 1998 at the request of Spanish judge Baltasar Garzon who is seeking to put him on trial for human rights abuses during his 17-year rule in Chile.

Belgium, France and Switzerland subsequently filed further extradition requests.

Related to this story:
Pinochet 'figure of the past' (01 Mar 00 | Americas)
The Pinochet case: Timeline (12 Jan 00 | The Pinochet file)
The Pinochet case: 15 months in three minutes (12 Jan 00 | UK)
Pinochet shadow over Straw's career (21 Jan 00 | UK Politics)
Pinochet profile: Saviour or tyrant (20 Jan 00 | The Pinochet file)

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