Hotel Rwanda hero Paul Rusesabagina arrested on terrorism charges

Paul Rusesabagina, a real-life character in a 1994 Hollywood film about the genocide in Rwanda, has been arrested on “terrorism” charges.

A statement issued by the Rwandan Investigation Bureau (RIB) on the social networking site Twitter said that through international cooperation, Paul Rusesabagina was arrested and is in the custody of RIB.

RIB STATEMENT ON THE ARREST OF PAUL RUSESABAGINA

1. RIB informs the general public that, through international cooperation, Paul Rusesabagina was arrested and is in the custody of RIB.

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— Rwanda Investigation Bureau (@RIB_Rw) August 31, 2020

3. He has been subject of an International Arrest Warrant, wanted to answer charges of serious crime including terrorism, arson, kidnap and murder, perpetrated against unarmed, innocent Rwandan civilians on Rwandan territory…

— Rwanda Investigation Bureau (@RIB_Rw) August 31, 2020

4. He is currently detained at Remera Police Station while his case file is being processed in accordance with Rwandan criminal procedure.

— Rwanda Investigation Bureau (@RIB_Rw) August 31, 2020

However, the statement did not say where he was arrested.

Paul Rusesabagina, 66, is accused of being an “extremist terrorist, founder, leader and sponsor of armed groups,” the statement said.

The role of Rusesabagina in the 1994 genocide was portrayed in the movie Hotel Rwanda.

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He became more famous when he described his attempts to shelter hundreds of people in his hotel during the 1994 genocide in the movie Hotel Rwanda.

The genocide killed 800,000 people belonging to the Tutsi minority.

He later started an opposition party with an armed wing in the Republic of Congo.

He was presented at a press conference in the capital, Kigali, by authorities after being arrested on an international warrant.

He was living in exile, but authorities did not say where he was arrested or give further details about the charges against him.

He was recently named in a terrorism case in Rwanda.

The court heard allegations that the National Liberation Front (FLN) rebel group had enlisted the help of Zambian President Edgar Longo because of his close friendship with Rusesabagina.

However, in a BBC interview, Edgar Longo denied the allegations.

Paul Rusesabagina was charged in 2011 with funding the Rwandan uprising but was not charged.

At the time, he had rejected it and called it a vicious campaign against him.

He has not lived in Rwanda since the 1996 assassination attempt and has been awarded several human rights awards in recognition of his efforts to save people during the genocide, including the 2005 US Presidential Medal of Freedom.

He was also awarded the US Presidential Medal of Freedom.

The film Hotel Rwanda, released in 2004, tells the story of Paul Rusesabagina, a middle-class Hutu man who married a Tutsi.

The film showed him bribing and using his influence to persuade military authorities to allow about 1,200 people who had taken refuge at the Milli Collins Hotel in Kigali to escape safely.

In the movie Hotel Rwanda, Don Cheadle played the role of Rusesabagina and this movie also won various awards.

However, the Rwandan genocide survivor group Aboca has said in the past that Paul Rusesabagina exaggerated his role in the 100-day massacre.