London - Five Law Lords will later today reconsider the ruling in the House of Lords last month that the former Chilean dictator, Gen Augusto Pinochet, does not enjoy sovereign immunity, writes Rachel Donnelly. Meanwhile, his lawyers prepare to challenge the Home Secretary's decision that the extradition process can proceed in the courts.
The fresh panel of Law Lords have been asked by Gen Pinochet's lawyers to set aside the House of Lords decision on November 25th, which upheld the High Court's view that the former dictator was not immune from prosecution as a former head of state. Two days have been assigned for the petition to be heard. A spokeswoman for the judicial committee in the House of Lords, which has drawn up the arrangements for the hearing, said yesterday it was not known whether the Law Lords would reach a decision later today or tomorrow.
It is understood that the petition is being brought on the grounds that the decision of the Law Lords was biased because a member of the original panel - Lord Hoffman - has close connections with the human rights organisation, Amnesty International. Earlier, Mr Michael Caplan, who is one of the solicitors acting for Gen Pinochet, confirmed the decision to seek leave to apply for a judicial review of Mr Straw's decision that the extradition process could proceed to court. However, this appeal is unlikely to be made until the House of Lords hearing has concluded.