The general who led the 1976 coup d'etat in Argentina is to be put on trial for crimes against humanity.

General Jorge Videla's government is said to be responsible for kidnapping and murdering 30,000 people.

He was tried and pardoned in the 1980s, but courts in Argentina ruled six years ago that crimes against humanity were not included in the pardon.

So General Videla will now go on trial for more than 500 cases of kidnapping, 30 murders and almost 300 cases of torture.

Under the past two administrations, Argentina has begun prosecuting various high-ranking officials from the dictatorship - which lasted until 1983 - and there are nearly 400 cases pending.

General Videla, however, is considered the most important of the various generals and admirals who ran Argentina during that time.