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Mercenaries may help Gaddafi's son, former intelligence chief escape Libya: ICCallvoices.com/contributed-ne… via@allvoices
Luis Moreno-Ocampo has been the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor since 2003
UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 2 -- The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday said the court continues to receive information that mercenaries may help former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam and former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi escape from Libya.
ICC Chief Prosector Luis Moreno-Ocampo's statement came as he addressed an open door Security Council meeting on Libya.
"We are also receiving information that a group of mercenaries may be endeavoring to facilitate his escape from Libya," Moreno- Ocampo told the 15-nation council. "We are calling upon states to do all they can to disrupt any such operation."
Moreno-Ocampo said, "it is up to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah Al-Senussi to decide if they will surrender themselves, remain in hiding, or try to escape to another country."
"It is up to the UN Security Council and states to ensure that they face justice for the crimes for which they are changed," Moreno-Ocampo added.
On June 27, the ICC issued arrest warrants for former Libyan leader Gaddafi, Saif and Al-Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity during the crackdown on Libyan protests.
Meanwhile, Moreno-Ocampo said his office is "galvanizing efforts to ensure that they face justice."
"We have received questions from individuals linked to Saif al- Islam about the legal conditions attaching to his potential surrender to the court," Moreno-Ocampo said.
Citing the court's founding Rome Statute, Moreno-Ocampo said that Saif "may request the judges not to order his return to Libya after his conviction or acquittal, but that he be sent to a different country, provided that country has consented to receiving him."
As for allegations of crimes committed by NATO forces and National Transitional Council (NTC) related forces, Moreno-Ocampo said that they would be "examined impartially and independently by the office."
He also noted that the ICC was informed that the new Libyan authorities are in the process of preparing a comprehensive strategy to address crimes, including the circumstances around the death of Gaddafi.
"In accordance with the Rome Statute the ICC should not intervene if there are genuine national proceedings," he said.
But, if Libyan authorities decide to prosecute Saif and Al- Sanussi for the same crimes under investigation by the ICC, they should submit an "admissibility challenge," and that it would be the ICC judges to decide, Moreno-Ocampo added.
