An international human rights organisation has asked France to bring charges of crimes against humanity against a retired French general who says he personally tortured and murdered opponents during the Algerian war of independence in the 1950s.

The former general, Paul Aussaresses - who's now 83 - has written a book in which he admits to setting up and leading a French army death squad during the Battle of Algiers in 1957.

France has granted amnesty to its citizens on charges relating to conduct in the Algerian war, but the Paris-based International Federation for Human Rights says the law cannot be used to protect those guilty of the most serious crimes.

The former general says the French Government of the time was aware of his actions and condoned them.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service