The Vatican confirmed that it had asked the British government about a month ago to send the ex-general home, and said it intervened at the request of the Chilean government.

Carlos Reyes, president of the London-based anti-Pinochet group Chile Democratico, said, ``We are shocked that the Pope is supporting Pinochet, especially when the Pope himself said in a homily in December that blood has stained the hands of those responsible for genocide and they have to be arrested.

``He should never forget that in Chile five priests were killed by Pinochet and thousands of Catholics were put in prison, tortured and killed, and thousands more sent into exile,'' Reyes said.

Britain's Foreign Office said Friday that the appeal did not come directly from the Pope, but from ``a senior level at the Vatican.''

Pinochet, 83, is under armed guard at a rented mansion southwest of London while he awaits a judgment from the House of Lords on whether he is immune from arrest and extradition to Spain to face allegations of human rights crimes.

He was arrested Oct. 16 in London on a Spanish warrant alleging that he ordered killings, torture and hostage-taking during his 17-year rule, which began with a 1973 coup.

An official Chilean report says 3,197 people were killed or disappeared at the hands of Chilean security services during Pinochet's rule.

Pinochet's lawyers argue that he is entitled to immunity for any acts committed while he was head of state.

Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said in a statement that the Pope had taken up the Chilean government's arguments about the possible impact of Pinochet's detention on the national reconciliation process, and the importance of respecting Chilean sovereignty.

``The Holy See supports national reconciliation everywhere, including Chile,'' Navarro-Valls said.

A Foreign Office spokesman said Britain had responded to the Vatican appeal by noting its views but pointing out that the case was a judicial matter.