ICC accuses Qaddafi son of trying to win over Libyan prosecutor

Seif al-Islam, son of slain Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, has told International Criminal Court officials he hoped to be tried in Libya, a report published on Wednesday said, but he was accused by ICC representatives of “playing the part” for the Libyan prosecutor.

Seif, 39, who is wanted by the Hague-based ICC for crimes against humanity in trying to put down the bloody revolt against Qaddafi last year, made the statement during a meeting with the officials in Libya last month.

“I hope I can be tried here in my country, whether they will execute me or not,” he told two ICC officials, according to the report for judges from the court’s registry dated March 5 and made public Wednesday.

His comments came a day after Libya’s government showcased a freshly painted courtroom in Tripoli Tuesday in an attempt to demonstrate that it is fit to try Seif instead of handing him over to the ICC.


Saif al-Islam has been in a secret prison since fighters caught him last year. Libya has resisted handing him over to The Hague, saying he has to face justice on Libyan soil.

Seif ‘playing the part’?

But Seif’s hopes for being tried in Libya have been doubted by an ICC report, which said it appeared he “was playing the part for the benefit of the (Libyan) prosecutor,” whose representative was present in the hour-long meeting, according to reports by AFP.

The tense March 3 meeting between Seif and ICC officials happened in Zintan, a town about 180 kilometers (110 miles) southwest of Tripoli where Qaddafi’s eldest son has been held in custody since his capture by then Libyan rebel forces fighting to overthrow his father.

“It is important to note that for the registry representative, it was clear that (Seif) was not able to reply to the questions in the presence of the Libyan prosecution representative,” the report said.

The report had also backed up claims that Seif had been mistreated, which alleged that Seif was assaulted since his arrest on November 19 last year in southwestern Libya.

Officials attending the meeting said the only chance the registry official had to speak with Seif directly was when the Libyan prosecution official went outside for about five minutes and Seif was asked whether he had been mistreated.

“His attitude changed from relaxed to intense and without saying a word he waved the hand where two fingers were missing and pointed to a missing tooth in the upper front” of his mouth, the report said.

On Tuesday, the war crimes court said Libya had asked the ICC to postpone its order to surrender Seif al-Islam so that it could formally appeal and hold the trial in Tripoli.

“The Libyan Government regards the trial of Seif al-Islam and (former intelligence chief) Abdullah Al-Senussi as a matter of the highest national importance,” the government said in its request to the ICC, according to an ICC statement on Tuesday.

It said this was important “not only in bringing justice for the Libyan people but also in demonstrating that the new Libyan justice system is capable of conducting fair trials (that meet all applicable international standards) in complex cases.”