Central African Republic war crimes suspect sent to court

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – A war crimes suspect who is also head of Central African Republic’s soccer federation has been sent to the International Criminal Court, where he faces allegations of leading a mainly Christian militia that targeted Muslims in deadly interreligious fighting.

The court says in a statement that Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona was transferred to the court Wednesday from France, where he was arrested last month on an ICC warrant.

Prosecutors say Ngaissona was the most senior leader of a militia known as anti-Balaka in 2014 when it was accused of crimes including murder and rape of Muslims in fighting that broke out the previous year when predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels seized power in the Central African Republic’s capital, Bangui.

The violence left thousands dead and displaced hundreds of thousands more.