| They'll try him fair and then hang him fair... |
| Wonder if he was hiding in a hole... |
"I want to assure our people and all nations of the world that Saif and those with him will be given a fair trial, with the guarantees of local and international law -- those legal processes which our own people were deprived of," he told a news conference in the Western mountain town of Zintan, where Seif Al-Islam and several bodyguards had been taken.
Seif Al-Islam, once favorite to succeed his late father, was arrested by fighters from Zintan, who make up one of Libya's most powerful militia factions. They said they would hold him until they could hand him over to the authorities.
The West urged Libya's new rulers to give Seif Al-Islam a fair trial and work with the International Criminal Court to bring him to justice, fearing he might suffer the same fate as his father, who was beaten and shot dead after his capture.
| Not that there was anything wrong with that... |
| That pre-supposes that justice will be done not just fairly but swiftly. We haven't ever seen anything 'swift' from the ICC or the various Euro courts of justice. |
"The Libyan government has told us again today that he will receive a trial in line with international standards, and it is important that this happens," he said in a statement. "Britain will offer every assistance to the Libyan government and the International Criminal Court to bring him to face full accountability and justice for what he has done."
| The Libyans don't need the ICC to be involved. They can handle this. |
"Seif Al-Islam must answer for his acts and face trial," the French foreign ministry said.
Human rights activists said a trial by the ICC would send the right message to the international community that Libya is serious about protecting rights.
| Then again, having the new Libyan government try and execute him would send a message too... |
| Fair prosecution by a Libyan court, delivered by Libyans, would send a better message. Note that the implicit message of all the Euros is, in the end, imperialist: the Libyans apparently aren't capable of delivering justice. The Libyans should be insulted. |
The court's chief prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, said he would visit Libya in a week to discuss the prosecution.
But many Libyans want Seif Al-Islam tried at home, believing he knows the location of billions of dollars of public money amassed by the Qaddafi family. Libya's interim justice minister said the country would try him first, for crimes that carry the death penalty.
"We are ready to prosecute Seif Al-Islam," Mohammed Al-Alagy said. "We have adopted enough legal and judicial procedures to ensure a fair trial for him."
| That ought to end it... |
Across Libya, Said Al-Islam's capture was celebrated. Keib, the incoming prime minister, thanked Libyans for their "struggle and historic heroism" that ousted the regime and captured Seif Al-Islam.
"It is the crowning of the sacrifices of our people," he said.