The Libyan transational government announced Saturday that they have captured Saif al-Islam, the fugitive son of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Three months after he was last seen in public, the NTC announced that Saif was "arrested in southern Libya" sparking of celebrations in Tripoli’s Martyr Square. It is thought the he was trying to escape to Algeria or Niger and there were reports that he was seeking to surrender to the ICC.
ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo hailed the news of Saif’s capture, who is wanted for crimes against humanity, saying,
"The good news is that Seif al-Islam is arrested, he is alive, and now he will face justice."
"Seif must face justice. Whether it's in Libya or in The Hague, he should face justice. We have to coordinate together with the Libyan authorities".
The Associated Press reported that the Chief Prosecutor would be travelling to Libya next week for talks regarding “where and how” Saif will be tried.
While Libyan authorities can put Saif on trial in Libya, if approved by the ICC, Marek Marczynski of Amnesty International called for his transfer to the ICC at the Hague.
"The ICC has an arrest warrant out for him and that is the correct thing to do. He must be brought before a judge as soon as possible. It matters for the victims. What they need to see is true justice. They need to know the truth about what happened."
At a press conference last week, after months of Saif on the run, Moreno-Ocampo insisted that his capture would just be a matter of time.
"The question is not if he will be arrested, it's when.
Seif will face justice, that's his destiny."
See our earlier post: Niger wary of Saif hand over (Nov 2011)
