Gaddafi’s spy chief to be tried in Libya

ICC upholds decision to allow Tripoli to put on trial former intelligence chief Abdallah al-Senoussi over rights abuses.

Senoussi is among dozens of officials from government of Gaddafi who are facing trial for rights abuses [AFP]

Appeals judges at the International Criminal Court have upheld a decision that allows Libyan authorities to put on trial a former Gadaffi intelligence chief over human rights abuses.

The appeals panel confirmed Thursday that the case against Abdullah al-Senoussi, who is currently detained in Libya, should not be handled by the Hague-based court because prosecutors in Libya are pursuing similar charges against him.

The ICC indicted Senoussi in 2011 on charges of murder and persecution allegedly committed during  Muammar Gaddafi’s failed attempt to crush a popular revolt in 2011, which succeeded in toppling the leader.

Last year, ICC judges ruled that the case is inadmissible before their court because of the Libyan case.

Defense lawyers appealed against that decision, but appeals judges have now upheld it.

The ICC pre-trial chamber decided that Libya is “willing and able genuinely to carry out” investigations into Sennousi, who was one of Gaddafi’s closest aides.

It said the decision had “no bearing on the case against Saif al-Islam Gaddafi”, the leader’s son who was also indicted by ICC for war crimes while being tried in Libya.

Source: News Agencies