Leading Libyans face arrest

04/05/11 20:28 CET

world news

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The International Criminal Court is to seek the arrest of at least three leading Libyan officials after its investigation of the killing of pro-democracy protesters.

Addressing the UN Security Council, the ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said arrest warrants would be issued within weeks, although he did not specify who is being sought.

“In all the incidents to be presented to the judges, the victims who were shot at by the security forces were unarmed civilians, and in all these incidents there is no evidence of any attack against the security forces,” Moreno-Ocampo said.

Meanwhile there were hectic scenes in the port of Misrata on Wednesday during the evacuation by ship of around 800 migrants, journalists and wounded civilians.

The vessel, chartered by the International Organisation for Migration, had been prevented from docking for five days due to heavy shelling and laying of mines by Gaddafi’s forces.

Hundreds of Libyan civilians also tried to board the ship in their desperation to flee the fighting, but with a limited capacity the ramp had to be pulled up early.

It was the sixth rescue mission so far.