Rwanda Slams Arrest Of Spy Chief As 'Lunacy'

Rwanda's foreign minister has criticised the arrest of the country's spy chief, held in London in connection with war crimes allegations.

General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, director general of the African country's National Intelligence and Security Services, was arrested at London Heathrow Airport at the weekend.

He was detained on a European arrest warrant issued by Spain, where he is suspected of involvement in genocide, according to officials.

The Rwandan foreign minister branded the arrest an "outrage" based on "lunacy".

"Western solidarity in demeaning Africans is unacceptable!!" Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo said on Twitter.

Karake, 54, was indicted in Spain in 2008 for alleged retributory war crimes in the years following the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

He is accused of ordering massacres while he was in charge of Rwanda's military intelligence between 1994 and 1997, including ordering the killings of three Spaniards working for a medical charity.

A Foreign Office spokesman confirmed Karake had been arrested by the Met police on 20 June.

He was remanded in custody and is to reappear in court on Thursday.