London - Supporters of the former Chilean dictator, Gen Augusto Pinochet, have welcomed yesterday's decision by the High Court to grant his lawyers leave to challenge the "authority to proceed" with extradition issued by the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, in December, Rachel Donnelly reports.
The application was adjourned until the first available court date after April 15th, when Mr Straw announces his decision. The Law Lords last week decided Gen Pinochet could only be extradited on three of the 30 Spanish charges drawn up against him.
In their judgment, the Law Lords ruled, by a majority of six to one, that Gen Pinchet did not enjoy sovereign immunity from prosecution, but held that he was protected by sovereign immunity on 27 charges relating to alleged crimes carried out prior to December 8th 1988, when Britain, Spain and Chile ratified the UN torture convention.
The High Court also adjourned to the same date an application by Gen Pinochet's lawyers for a writ of habeas corpus to free him from his "custodial limbo" while under house arrest in Wentworth, Surrey.