Monday, June 11, 2012

ICC staff 'in jail' in Libya after Saif Gaddafi visit


A legal team from The Hague has reportedly been jailed in Libya after being detained over a visit to Muammar Gaddafi's imprisoned son Saif al-Islam.

The four-strong International Criminal Court (ICC) team was moved to a jail in the mountain town of Zintan, a militia brigade chief told BBC News.

They were detained on Thursday and will be held for 45 days pending investigation, Ajami al-Ateri said.

A second ICC delegation has arrived in Libya in a bid to free them.

A member of the team being detained, Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor, has been accused of trying to pass documents to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is also being held in Zintan.

A spokesman for Libyan Prime Minister Abdurrahim El-Keib said the government's relations with the ICC could not be allowed to interfere with national security.

The four were moved to the jail in Zintan under orders from the attorney general's office and the defence ministry, said Mr Ateri, head of the Zintan brigade.

The Libyan foreign ministry confirmed the 45-day detention period but said the four were still being held in a guest-house.

Meanwhile, a convoy carrying the British ambassador came under attack in the city of Benghazi on Monday afternoon.

The embassy said two British "close protection officers" had been injured in the attack and were receiving medical treatment.

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Source: BBC News

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