‘Libya must surrender Gaddafi son to ICC’

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has renewed a demand that Libya hand over Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of slain dictator Muammar Gaddafi, to face charges of crimes against humanity.

ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda on Thursday urged the UN Security Council to press Libya over the issue of Gaddafi’s son.

Bensouda also called for international help including “telephone intercepts” and information on money transfers connected to the former Libyan dictator’s family and their associates.

The Hague-based court and the Libyan government have been disputing over Seif al-Islam since the fall and killing of his father in October 2011, as Tripoli says letting Seif al-Islam stand trial outside the country would deteriorate the situation in Libya.

The ICC ruled earlier this year against permitting Libya to put Gaddafi’s son on trial at home.

Libya has said it will provide the ICC with new information on Seif al-Islam, however, Bensouda said, “Political considerations have no place in law, impartially and independently applied. I strongly urge the government of Libya to surrender Seif al-Islam Gaddafi to the court without further delay.”

Libyan Ambassador to the UN Ibrahim Dabbashi said people in Libya “want to see justice” and a trial of Seif al-Islam outside Libya cannot be accepted.

“That would then destabilize social peace which is quite precarious, and indeed it might constitute a threat to the lives of” Seif al-Islam and Gaddafi’s intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, Dabbashi told the Security Council.

Senussi is agreed to be tried in Libya.

Libyans rose up against Muammar Gaddafi’s four-decade rule in February 2011 and deposed him in August 2011. He was slain on October 20 of the same year.

Seif al-Islam, who served as Gaddafi’s de facto prime minister, has been in the custody in northwestern Libya.

The 40-year-old was captured in November 2011 while trying to flee the country.