A pilot held in Spain over his alleged role in Argentina's "Dirty War" will stay in detention pending a decision on extradition, a Spanish judge has ruled.

Julio Alberto Poch, an airline pilot, has been in custody in Madrid since his arrest last month.

He is wanted in Argentina for allegedly flying planes used to dump opponents of the military regime into the sea. He denies the allegations.

Some 30,000 people disappeared or died during the junta's 1976-1983 rule.