MADRID, July 18 (Reuters) - A former Argentine naval officer accused of murdering thousands during the country's "Dirty War" will stay in Spain to be tried, the Spanish Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday, instead of being extradited to Argentina.

Ricardo Cavallo has been held in a Spanish prison since 2003, when he was extradited from Mexico and charged by authorities in Spain with genocide and terrorism.

Spanish prosecutors requested multiple life sentences in prison for Cavallo for the death and torture of Spanish citizens during Argentina's 1976-83 military dictatorship. When Cavallo was handed over to Spain, it was the first time a country had extradited a suspect to another to stand trial for alleged rights abuses committed in a third.

The Spanish Supreme Court decision annuls a ruling by the Spanish High Court in December, agreeing to turn Cavallo over to Argentine authorities, who have asked for his extradition.

The Supreme Court said the High Court did not have the right to cede jurisdiction to a foreign court, court documents showed.

AlertNet news is provided by