The announcement to extradite the former president drew mixed reactions from several quarters with the lawyers of the former president expressing anger; while the victims expressed their dissatisfaction and Belgian diplomats expressed their regret and reminded Senegal that it had pledged not to allow Mr. Habré to leave its territory.
Senegal had decided to send Mr. Habré home after several appeals by the international community and the African Union to take legal action against the former president. During its 17th summit in Equatorial Guinea, the African Union challenged President Abdoulaye Wade to facilitate the rapid trial of former Chadian leader or repatriate him to a country that is ready to try him.
The Senegalese authorities are against the establishment of a special court on its territory as has been advocated by the African Union in recent months stating that its commitment to the AU was to try Mr. Habré by its own courts and judges and not "a new court whose foundations are questionable."
Belgium has expressed its willingness to try Mr. Habré in Brussels and has requested Senegal to either try him in Senegal or hand him over to the Belgian authorities.
This is not the first time that the Senegalese authorities have threatened to get rid of Habré only to reverse the decision. In November 2005, the Senegalese Minister of Interior suggested that the former Chadian president would be deported to Nigeria but later reversed the decision.
Mr. Habré has been indicted for crimes against humanity and economic crimes.