ATHEIST campaigner Richard Dawkins has vowed to arrest the Pope for crimes against humanity.
Professor Dawkins has hired a team of lawyers to see if Pope Benedict XVI can be charged over his handling of the sexual abuse scandal engulfing the Roman Catholic Church, according to The Sunday Times.
Professor Dawkins, who wrote The God Delusion, claims that the Pope has shielded paedophile priests from the authorities.
However, he and fellow writer Christopher Hitchens believe they can make a case for arresting the Pope during the Pope's planned visit to Britain in September.
Among the human rights lawyers they have hired is Australian-born barrister Geoffrey Robertson.
They do not believe the Pope will be able to claim diplomatic immunity because he is not recognised as a head of state by the United Nations.
Richard Dawkins promises to arrest Pope Benedict XVI | News.com.au