LONDON, Nov. 3: A special British police task force has launched investigations into serious crimes against humanity allegedly committed by Shaol Movas, a top Israeli army general and a nominated candidate for the post of defence minister in the government of Ariel Sharon.

General Movas is accused of being directly responsible for serious crimes committed against Palestinians when he was chief of staff.

A British Police spokesman said an ad hoc task force has indeed started to consider a file referred by the General Prosecutor accusing the candidate Israeli defense minister of committing crimes against humanity when he was holding the post of a chief of staff.

Last Wednesday, Movas cut short a private visit to Britain and returned to Israel reportedly at the advice of the Israeli government to avoid potential detention by the British police against the background of the lawsuit filed against him by representatives of Palestinian victims.

According to a British legal source, the lawsuit was based on a 1957 British legislation, in which Britain committed itself to the Geneva Convention as a binding law. —QNA