He is perhaps one of the most prominent Rwandan Patriotic Front elite group accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. The man, Emmanuel Karenzi Karake is head of Rwandan National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS). Aged 54, General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake, know as "KK", is an influential member of the circle of cronies around the Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, mostly born in the exile in Uganda. He was one of the top military leaders of the RPF rebellion before it seized power in 1994.
The British Foreign Office confirmed in official statements that Karake was arrested Saturday by the Metropolitan Police, without giving
further details, while reminding that Great Britain and Rwanda maintain a close relationship and share many interests. He was later released following the intervention of Cherrie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister, Tony Blair. He returned to Rwanda amid jubilations of the Rwandan elite, claiming victory over the International justice.
Still Wanted.
In a dramatic development, Spain has maintained that General Karake, though released by British judicial institutions, remains a wanted man. According to AFP, the arrest warrant remains in force, despite the abandonment, on August 10, of the extradition proceedings that were suspended after Cherrie Blair intervention.
"The British decision was not notified to us and the European arrest warrant remains in force," Spanish judicial source specializing in terrorism cases told AFP.
In early October, the Supreme Court of Spain upheld a court decision of March 27, definitively dismissing the investigation of genocide and crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Emmanuel Karenzi Karake.
The Prosecutions by Spain also cover 39 other Rwandan officials, according to AFP.
Long Running Case
General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake was arrested in London on Saturday June 20, 2015 by British police under the European arrest warrant issued by Spain. This arrest came seven years after the issuance of international arrest warrants by a Spanish judge, and ten years after the start of the investigations in Spain of crimes committed by RPF top 40 officials, mostly Rwandan intelligence services leaders. General Emmanuel Karenzi Karake and the 39 others were indicted in 2008 in connection with a criminal investigation for genocide and crimes against humanity committed in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during and after 1994, including the killing of three Spanish members of a humanitarian association, Medicos Del Mundo.
The charges against General Karake Karenzi are well documented.
General Karenzi Karake was an immediate leader of secretive cell of parallel military intelligence in 1994 and 1997. The period coincides with many systematic mass killings in the country during the Rwandan civil war, the invasion of the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo and the ensuing popular insurgency. During the period, the Rwandan Patriotic Army led a campaign od systematic mass killings, mostly ethnicallyboth in Rwanda and the DRC and looting in Eastern DRC.
Human Rights Watch has documented most of the killings and General Karake was cited as the main commander behind the massacres. In 2007, Human Rights Watch called on the UN to open an investigation into his alleged role in massacres of civilians, allegedly committed by the Rwandan army in 2000 in Kisangani, eastern DRC. He was then being considered as to be Deputy Commander of UNAMID, the peace keeping force of African Union and UN in Sudan from January 2008 to April 2009. He was eventually forced to resign from the post.
He is also suspected of ordering the killing of three Spanish aid workers of the NGO Medicos del Mundo. The Spanish aid workers were assissnated after witnessing the mass killings allegedly ordered by General Karake Karenzi.
