Officials with the National Transitional Council announced today that Abdullah al-Senussi has been captured. Al-Senussi was a brother in law of Moammar Gaddafi’s and his intelligence chief. Al-Senussi was captured close to Sabha. He was hiding in his brother’s home.
Authorities with the NTC plan to move al-Senussi to Tripoli in order to stand trial. There are arrest warrants from the International Criminal Court for al-Senussi for crimes against humanity. The NTC reports that the man was not injured during his arrest.
The announcement comes just one day after Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was captured. He was taken into custody after a stakeout that lasted 18 days. Saif also had an arrest warrant from the ICC for the same crimes. Officials believe that Saif was trying to make it to Niger and seek asylum. Niger’s government had said that they were not sure they would turn Saif over to the ICC.
Fadi el-Abdallah, a spokesman for the ICC, said that the NTC needs to turn Saif over to the ICC. El-Abdallah said that there needs to a be a request filed with the ICC’s judges if Libya wants to try him. Libyan officials have stated that they want Saif to stand trial in Libya. Luis Moreno-Ocampo, the chief prosecutor of the ICC, arrived in Libya today to make sure that Saif was not being abused.
Saif will be held in Zintan until the NTC completes the trial arrangements. There has been a committee set up that will deal with his criminal case.
It would appear that the same thing will happen with al-Senussi. However, the main thing on the NTC’s agenda right now is to finalize setting up the new Libyan government. It was supposed to be done by today, but the announcement has been delayed. The prime minister needed more time to complete his cabinet selection. The will be announcement of the new people in Libya’s government within the next two days.
