The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal, Ms Carla Del Ponte, announced in Arusha today the arrest of two high ranking military officers, both former members of the Rwandan Armed Forces. Francois-Xavier Nzuwonemeye was arrested at his home in Montauban, France at 07h00 this morning while Innocent Sagahutu was arrested at his home in Ringkjøbing, Denmark. Both arrests were made on the basis of arrest warrants issued by the Tribunal.

Ms. Del Ponte welcomed these two new arrests and thanked the French and Danish authorities for their cooperation. The cooperation of the international community with the Tribunal was increasingly apparent in the arrest of persons suspected of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and their transfer to Arusha. Such cooperation demonstrated the commitment of the international community not to allow crimes against international humanitarian law to go unpunished.

Mr. Nzuwonemeye is the second accused person to be arrested in France in less than three months. Former Minister Jean de Dieu Kamuhanda was arrested on 26 November 1999 at Bourges. Mr.Sagahatu is the first accused to be arrested in Denmark. These accused will be transferred to the United Nations Detention Facility in Arusha as soon as the practical details of their transfer can be arranged.