ICC issues arrest warrant for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi

[News_Editor]

ICC issues arrest warrant for Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi

2011-06-27 20:02:10 GMT+7 (ICT)

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (BNO NEWS) -- The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Monday announced that arrest warrants for Libyan head of state Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and two others, including his son, had been issued for crimes against humanity.

The Libyan head of state, as well as Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah Al-Senussi, are being sought for allegedly using the State apparatus and Security Forces for committing murder and persecution across Libya in February.

The ICC said that there are "reasonable grounds to believe that the three suspects committed the alleged crimes and that their arrests appear necessary in order to ensure their appearances before the Court; to ensure that they do not continue to obstruct and endanger the Court's investigations; and to prevent them from using their powers to continue the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court."

The United Nations Security Council referred the situation in Libya to the ICC Prosecutor in February, demanding that Libyan authorities cooperate with the court and prosecutor. In addition, the council urged all States and concerned regional and other international organizations to fully cooperate as well.

As a result, the ICC Prosecutor decided to open an investigation less than a week later, and on May 16, it requested the issuance of the arrest warrants, which were made on Monday by the Pre-Trial Chamber I of the ICC, composed of Judges Sanji Mmasenono Monageng (Presiding), Sylvia Steiner and Cuno Tarfusser.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed the ICC's judges' decision to issue the arrest warrants for the three individuals who "should be held to account before judges in a criminal court." The Foreign Secretary also said that the UK would continue to support the ICC and called upon the Libyan government to cooperate fully with the investigation.

"The warrants further demonstrate why Gaddafi has lost all legitimacy and why he should go immediately. His forces continue to attack Libyans without mercy and this must stop," Hague stated.

"Individuals throughout the regime should abandon Gaddafi," the Foreign Secretary stressed, also welcoming the "courageous actions" of those fighting against the regime and recognizing the "inspiring stories of those who have refused to act against their own people or commit atrocities."

Libya has been engulfed in a civil war since an uprising against Muammar Gaddafi's regime began in mid-February, while Libyan forces have been accused of violently cracking down on anti-government protesters.

NATO took control of foreign military operations in Libya on March 31 under UN Security Council Resolution 1973, which authorized member states to take 'all necessary measures' to protect civilians.

NATO forces have carried out frequent air strikes and imposed a no-fly zone over the North African country. At least 5,000 and as many as 13,000 people are believed to have been killed since the uprising began in February, fueled by successful revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-27

[manarak]

whatever happened to sovereignty?

If they want Gaddhafi's head, they should just make and win the war. The loser is the guilty.

But stop feeding the public with propaganda about criminal courts and warrants...

[Steely Dan]

I find the Libya debacle increasingly unfathomable. Gaddafi apparently offered U.N supervised elections, but the Hague warrants show regime change is still desired through military means. Meanwhile Assad has offered nothing and continues to have civilians murdered, yet no U.N resolution, no Hague indictment, no calls for him to step down even.

[Crushdepth]

whatever happened to sovereignty?

If they want Gaddhafi's head, they should just make and win the war. The loser is the guilty.

You haven't seen the news lately?

[Exsexyman]

It is indeed a debacle. And as Steely Dan points out, what about Syria. Or Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and other despotic regimes. This exposes the lie that the action against Libya is to protect innocent civilians. It was never about that. The UN resolution authorised the setting up of a no fly zone. Nato have clearly gone far beyond that. They are clearly intent on assassinating Gaddafi, who, like it or not is the legitimate leader of a sovereign nation. To achieve this end NATO have been dropping bombs on Tripoli on a nightly basis for 4 months, regardless of the terror this must be causing for the residents. The vast majority of the Western media have cravenly gone along with this, with a few honourable exceptions, The Daily Telegraph in the UK being one. The so called rebels are not innocent civilians, they are armed insurgents, a mixture of Al Qaida, Muslim Brotherhood,and various other dissidents, set up and armed by the west from the start.

Gaddafi was in the process of launching an African currency, based on gold, called the African Dinar, whereby oil would be purchased using gold, bypassing the dollar. This clearly could not be tolerated. Libya also had by far the highest standard of living in the region, with state of the art health care, education, housing etc. Interest free loans for people buying their first house, stipends for any one at university, and many other free social benefits. They recently completed a 200 million dollar irrigation system which provides the whole country with water. All of this without owing one cent to the IMF or the World Bank. They were completely in control of their own resources. This war (incidently when was war declared i must have missed that), is being waged on behalf of the worlds bankers., who of course will get their rewards when the dust finally settles, and millions of dollars are required to re build the country. As SD pointed out, Gaddafi has offered UN supervised elections but this is the last thing NATO want. They want Gaddafi gone. But it is proving more difficult than they expected. After all we were told that it would all be over in a couple of weeks. Gaddafi clearly has plenty of support, otherwise he would have been gone weeks ago. Meanwhile, the bill so far for the UK is 300 million dollars, despite the fact that "there is no money left", and pensions, NHS, social services, even the military are facing severe cutbacks. Shameful.

[manarak]

whatever happened to sovereignty?

If they want Gaddhafi's head, they should just make and win the war. The loser is the guilty.

You haven't seen the news lately?

What's the news?

As far as I know, Gaddhafi is still a head of state or similar.

[Exsexyman]

According to the BBC this morning, Libya have rejected these arrest warrents because they do not recognise the ICC. Interestingly, this puts them in the same position as the USA, who also refuse to recognise the ICC's legitimacy. I wonder how President Obama will play this one. On the one hand we have Wee Willie Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, this morning lauding the ICC decision to the high heavens, on the other we have the USA, who are the leaders of NATO, refusing to recognise the ICC. The debacle goes from bad to worse!

[manarak]

According to the BBC this morning, Libya have rejected these arrest warrents because they do not recognise the ICC. Interestingly, this puts them in the same position as the USA, who also refuse to recognise the ICC's legitimacy. I wonder how President Obama will play this one. On the one hand we have Wee Willie Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, this morning lauding the ICC decision to the high heavens, on the other we have the USA, who are the leaders of NATO, refusing to recognise the ICC. The debacle goes from bad to worse!

They won't play "this one" at all, because the ICC and its warrants are a joke as it has no jurisdiction in Lybia.

It is just a propaganda ploy to be used as an alibi to kill Gaddhafi and intervene in the inner affairs of another state.

I hate this "new world order" of hypocrisy.

Just declare a war against Lybia or a vendetta against Gaddhafi, send in the troops and be done with it.

But there aren't any "straight shooters" left among our western politicians.

[Wallaby]

I can't see it ever going to court. NATO will 'accidently' kill Gaddafi before that.

[Ulysses G.]

I find the Libya debacle increasingly unfathomable.

I don't get it either. What are we doing there with all the other problems on our plate?

[Exsexyman]

According to the BBC this morning, Libya have rejected these arrest warrents because they do not recognise the ICC. Interestingly, this puts them in the same position as the USA, who also refuse to recognise the ICC's legitimacy. I wonder how President Obama will play this one. On the one hand we have Wee Willie Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, this morning lauding the ICC decision to the high heavens, on the other we have the USA, who are the leaders of NATO, refusing to recognise the ICC. The debacle goes from bad to worse!

They won't play "this one" at all, because the ICC and its warrants are a joke as it has no jurisdiction in Lybia.

It is just a propaganda ploy to be used as an alibi to kill Gaddhafi and intervene in the inner affairs of another state.

I hate this "new world order" of hypocrisy.

Just declare a war against Lybia or a vendetta against Gaddhafi, send in the troops and be done with it.

But there aren't any "straight shooters" left among our western politicians.

I agree with what you say. But you would think that in a matter as serious as this, the USA and the UK would at least try and sing from the same song sheet so to speak. On the one hand you have the British Foreign Secretary lauding the ICC decision from the rooftops, using it to justify the continued bombardment of Tripoli, and on the other you have the American administration refusing to even recognise the ICC itself. It would be interesting to see the American Secretary of State quizzed on this glaring contradiction during her next press conference. It is difficult to see how she could give a coherent answer without making her British counterpart look extremely foolish. Although to be fair he manages to do this all by himself every time he opens his mouth. I remember him standing up in the House of Commons a few days into the bombing, solemnly announcing that Colonel Gaddafi had fled to Venezuela! The Daily Telegraph, which is and always has been a Conservative Party supporting newspaper, recently described Hague as, " The most hapless Foreign Secretary since Anthony Eden." ( He of the Suez crisis), adding,"Although this is probably a gross insult to Eden"!

[softgeorge]

The people responsible for executing the warrant is the government of the country in which he is in at the time. That means at the moment it lays with the gadaffi government to arrest him. Can't see much happening.

[Steely Dan]

According to the BBC this morning, Libya have rejected these arrest warrents because they do not recognise the ICC. Interestingly, this puts them in the same position as the USA, who also refuse to recognise the ICC's legitimacy. I wonder how President Obama will play this one. On the one hand we have Wee Willie Hague, the British Foreign Secretary, this morning lauding the ICC decision to the high heavens, on the other we have the USA, who are the leaders of NATO, refusing to recognise the ICC. The debacle goes from bad to worse!

They won't play "this one" at all, because the ICC and its warrants are a joke as it has no jurisdiction in Lybia.

It is just a propaganda ploy to be used as an alibi to kill Gaddhafi and intervene in the inner affairs of another state.

I hate this "new world order" of hypocrisy.

Just declare a war against Lybia or a vendetta against Gaddhafi, send in the troops and be done with it.

But there aren't any "straight shooters" left among our western politicians.

I agree with what you say. But you would think that in a matter as serious as this, the USA and the UK would at least try and sing from the same song sheet so to speak. On the one hand you have the British Foreign Secretary lauding the ICC decision from the rooftops, using it to justify the continued bombardment of Tripoli, and on the other you have the American administration refusing to even recognise the ICC itself. It would be interesting to see the American Secretary of State quizzed on this glaring contradiction during her next press conference. It is difficult to see how she could give a coherent answer without making her British counterpart look extremely foolish. Although to be fair he manages to do this all by himself every time he opens his mouth. I remember him standing up in the House of Commons a few days into the bombing, solemnly announcing that Colonel Gaddafi had fled to Venezuela! The Daily Telegraph, which is and always has been a Conservative Party supporting newspaper, recently described Hague as, " The most hapless Foreign Secretary since Anthony Eden." ( He of the Suez crisis), adding,"Although this is probably a gross insult to Eden"!

You're quite right on Hague, what a tool he indeed is. The unseemly and inept grab for oil resources comes against the background of declining north sea oil for the UK, Europe bar Norway are in an even worse predicament, hence the importance of partitioning off Libya. The U.S have no such worries so are a lot less interested. The most amusing aspect to all this is how accomodating European governments have been to Arab oppinion due to oil, but Israel recently discovered massive oil reserves of their own and an embarassing change in European policy may be forthcoming if they can't secure Libyan oil and Saudi Arabia blows up.

[coma]

So I guess G.W Bush, T. Blair and friends' ICC warrants are in the mail? Disgraceful hypocritical organisation.