Libya: Muammar Gaddafi subject to ICC arrest warrant

www.bbc.co.uk...

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, accusing him of crimes against humanity. The court had grounds to believe he had ordered attacks on civilians during Libya's four-month uprising, it said. The Hague-based court also issued warrants for two of Col Gaddafi's top aides - his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi. Thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the conflict. Anti-Gaddafi forces said on Monday they had launched a new push towards Tripoli, with heavy fighting near the strategic town of Bir al-Ghanam, to the south-west of capital. The rebel defence minister told the BBC that forces opposed to Col Gaddafi may also make a move on the capital from the east. 'Unquestioned control' The ICC arrest warrants refer to early weeks of the uprising, from 15 February until "at least 28 February". The statement, read out by presiding judge Sanji Monageng, said there were "reasonable grounds to believe" that the three men were "criminally responsible" for the murder and persecution of civilians. As the "recognised and undisputed leader of Libya", said the court, Col Gaddafi had "absolute, ultimate and unquestioned control" over the state. He introduced a state policy "aimed at deterring and quelling by any means, including by the use of force, the demonstrations of civilians against the regime", the court alleged. The warrant says that while Saif al-Islam Gaddafi holds no official position in Libya, he is "the most influential person" in Col Gaddafi's inner circle. Mr Sanussi, said the court, had "indirectly instructed the troops to attack civilians demonstrating" in Benghazi, the city that has become the rebels' stronghold. The BBC's Andrew Harding in Misrata said there was celebratory gunfire on the streets of the besieged city as the news emerged. "We are extremely happy that the whole world has united in prosecuting Gaddafi for the crimes he has committed," rebel council spokesman Jalal al-Galal told Reuters news agency from the rebel stronghold Benghazi. "The people feel vindicated by such a response." 'No legitimacy' The warrants had been requested by chief ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in May. He has said Col Gaddafi must be arrested in order to protect civilians.

You know I really don't understand that honestly...Why issue an arrest warrant for someone who's been targeted by so many Nato bombs..i'm sure he doesn't care he has a warrant out..They've been trying to kill him! now you want to arrest him..that makes no sense to me..maybe i'm missing something.

We are very choosey about who we pick for these ICC Warrants and who we 'forget' about, yet equally should be facing these warrants eh! Tony and dozens of others.

With Gadaffi it will be interesting if any Libyans or anyone stands up for him at the Court because although he has championed terrorism unashamedly to some he is their hero.

Well the pentagon can't stop Gaddafi by bombing his military bases so there's not a whole lot an arrest warrant will do unless he voluntarily gives himself up.

Originally posted by Authenticated
You know I really don't understand that honestly...Why issue an arrest warrant for someone who's been targeted by so many Nato bombs..i'm sure he doesn't care he has a warrant out..They've been trying to kill him! now you want to arrest him..that makes no sense to me..maybe i'm missing something.

The ICC continues to undermind their own validity, and this latest move is the nail in the coffin. The ICC is not part of the United Nations. Its a seperate entity entirely with, imo, questionable standards.

The big glaring issue though is the arrest warrant iteself. The ICC accords specifically state countries who are not signatories to the ICC treaty are not bound by it, nor can they be referred to it. The hypocrisy alone is funny to me.

They are going to make the argument of something called Universal Jurisdiction, which in theory allows a nation to essentially take action when its apparent there is no other resolutions to the problem. The ICC is supposed to make a request to the Libyan Government itself to investigat the allegations, and in this case they did not.

Since the ICC has decided to impose their will while ignoring their own charter as well as UN conventions, I dont want to hear any of the countries that belong to the ICC complain about unilateral US actions again.

So, if there was an armed uprising in America, and a few million armed Americans began killing members of the Military, and taking over sections of the US, does anyone REALLY think that the president, whoever he is at the time, isn't going to kill, and bomb these American rebels into submission? Because they would, in an instant, they would kill however many millions of Americans it would take to stop an uprising.

Would the POTUS get an arrest warrant for crimes against humanity for killing it's own citizens involved in an attempted overthrow of the US government? Seriously doubt it.

This whole thing is a Joke. Gaddafi isn't doing anything our own government wouldn't do. Oh wait, yes he is, his country actually makes money, and that money is spent on things that benefit the people. Unlike the US government.

This whole thing with Libya is laughable. Just goes to show how many Americans are brainwashed.

reply to post by James1982


How about we do a side by side country comparison to put your comments into perspective.

To answer the first part about an armed uprising, that has already occured and yes the President ordered Americans to engage rebel forces. I am refering to the American Civil war here.

We can look at the revolutionary war I guess, even though thats more in the British column than American.

How many armed uprisings have occured in Libya in its history, and how many have occured in the United States?

Libya has us beat hands down. But hey, continue the rant against the US while you ignore other hotspots around the world. I get from the general tone of your comment that your only intrest is to dump on the US.

whatever works for you...

reply to post by Xcathdra


So you prove my point, and then still disagree with me?

I'm not dumping on America, I'm an American and I love my country. My government I have anything but love for. It is not our place to play world police, this has got to stop now. The US government is supporting the rebels, yet would kill rebels in their own country, the same thing Gaddafi is painted as a villain for doing. This is hypocrisy of the highest order, and I'm not just going to play along due to blind nationalism.

Originally posted by Lynda101
We are very choosey about who we pick for these ICC Warrants and who we 'forget' about, yet equally should be facing these warrants eh! Tony and dozens of others.

With Gadaffi it will be interesting if any Libyans or anyone stands up for him at the Court because although he has championed terrorism unashamedly to some he is their hero.

Apparently they are not picky enough since they are violating their own charter. The ICC does not have jurisdiction in countries that are not signatories to the treaty. They did not follow thier own protocols, which requires the affected government be infomred of the specific complaint, and allowing time for that nations court system to remedy the situation.

Only after all that has been done, can the invoke universal jurisdiction, whcih apprently in this case they are doing.

The next time the EU wants to lip off about America and imposing our will, I hope someone throws this back in their face.

Looks like we have a new Osama Bin Laden...

www.libya-watanona.com...

I find it hard to believe that Cameron armed Libyans opposing Gadaffi without knowing exactly whom he was dealing with.

Having watched the videos from both sides of this fight I actually wonder whether either side could be trusted to run a country without resorting to behaviour that we would hope is below civilied and acceptable standards.

This ICC twaddlis not to be taken lightly e is incredibly stupid. Its a pressure on Gadaffi that says you can't win we will get you one way or another. A man Like Gadaffi has self preservation stapped across his forehead. If pushed too far and he thinks its all over, he will simply destroy Libya's oil and gas installations and take the greatest of pleasure in watching the oil pollute across the Mediterranean and the world face oil shortages and the chaos that will ensue.

There is more to dealing with Gadaffi than I honestly think our governments ever realise or understand they are always knee-jerk never clever anymore, Iraq is evidence of this.

Have just watched RT and although I thought Gadaffi might blow up his oil and gas installations. I was wrong it NATO that has destroyed a gas terminal. Still never mind Nato will bash and crash on simply because Libya's oil will pay people like Haliburtons to rebuild Libya. Gosh a win, win , bonuses all round. All you can do is just despair at the lack of political wisdom.