Like his father and former intelligence chief Abdullah Al-Senussi, Saif Al-Islam was indicted with crimes against humanity in Libya by the ICC earlier this year.

“The Office of the Prosecutor is galvanizing efforts to implement the arrest warrants issued by Judges of the International Criminal Court against Saif Al Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah Al Senussi,” said Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo in a statement.

“Through intermediaries, we have informal contact with Saif,” he continued.

“The Office of the Prosecutor has made it clear that if he surrenders to the ICC, he has the right to be heard in court, he is innocent until proven guilty,”he said.

The exact whereabouts of Saif Al-Islam and Al-Senussi are unknown. According to unconfirmed reports Gaddafi’s son requested an aircraft to fly him from Libya’s southern desert to The Hague. Other reports have it that he is on his way to Mali.

“Additionally, we have learnt through informal channels that there is a group of mercenaries who are offering to move Saif to an African country, not party to the Rome Statute of the ICC,” Moreno-Ocampo said.

“The Office of the Prosecutor is also exploring the possibility to intercept any plane within the airspace of a state party in order to make an arrest,”he said.

The chief prosecutor also explained the proceedings if Saif Al-Islam comes to the ICC and proves his innocence.
“This is a legal process and if the judges decide that Saif is innocent, or has served his sentence, he can request the judges to send him to a different country as long as that country accepts him.”

The ICC is still waiting for official documents to confirm the death of Libya’s fallen leader Muammar Gaddafi. He was killed on the run near his hometown Sirte on October 20.

Tunisia’s moderate Islamist party Ennahda has begun talks to form a coalition government with centre-left parties ahead of announcement of official results in the country’s landmark election.

Preliminary results from the Sunday’s legislative election have put the party formerly banned under the ousted regime in a commanding lead, but still unclear whether it would achieve an outright majority.

By Tuesday Ennahda had won 37 of the total 217 assembly seats against 13 seats of its closest contender, the secularist congress for the republic (CPR). The assembly will be tasked with writing a new constitution among other major reforms that motivated the popular uprising last December that deposed President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali from power, sparking off the Arab spring.

The party said on Tuesday that it wanted to share power but would not seek to push through radical measures. Party leader Rachid Ghannouchi has vowed not to set up an Islamist state but respect multi-party democracy.

Hamadi Jebali Ennahda’s Secretary General and possible Prime Minister has assured secularists and investors that no prospects of religion would be instilled in the country’s tourism and banking sector.

Tunisia, which largely depends on foreign tourism, has a long secular tradition history, viewed as the most secular nation in the Arab world.
The CPR, biggest secular party in the country has defended its union with Ennahda saying it’s a moderate part of Islam. CPR leader Moncef Marzouki said “One must not take them for the Taliban of Tunisia.”

“No, no, no it is not the devil and we do not make pacts with the devil,” he said.

Ghnnouchi has assured Tunisians against unwarranted fears over imposing strict Islamic ethical codes in the country, but instead focus on a quite moderate platform of economic and internal security reforms modeled on Turkey’s Islamic model which remains secular.
Ben Ali was forced to resign and flee to Saudi Arabia following weeks of demonstrations in protest against poverty, oppression and extensive corruption that accustomed his 23 years of rule.

In collaboration with News from Africa.

Speaking during a meeting with the military alliance in the Qatari capital of Doha on Wednesday, interim leader Mustafa Abdel Jalil said that stopping the flight of Col Gaddafi supporters to other countries was a priority.

“We look forward to NATO continuing its operations until the end of the year,” Jalil told reporters. “We seek technical and logistics help from neighbouring and friendly countries.”

NATO was instrumental in enforcing the UN Security Council resolution that sought to protect civilians under threat from Col Gaddafi’s forces. NATO has carried out over 26,000 air raids since start of the campaign in March 31, destroying over 5,900 military installations.

The Doha meeting was focusing on how NATO could help the provisional government to bring stability in the country after NATO hinted on Friday that it would wind up its campaign at the end of this month.

A meeting scheduled in Brussels on Wednesday to formalize the decision has been postponed to accommodate ongoing Doha Talks with the UN and NTC.

Qatar was one of the first countries to recognise the NTC as Libya’s legitimate authorities, providing it with support during months of fighting against Gaddafi’s loyalist forces. On Wednesday Qatari military chief revealed that the country had military personnel on the ground in Libya.

“We were among them and the numbers of Qataris on the ground were hundreds in every region,” major General Hamad bin Ali Al-Atiya, Qatar’s military chief of staff said.
Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has also said his country provided military aid to NTC during the revolutionary fighting. In his address on state TV, Bashir said Sudan’s move was in response to Col Gaddafi’s support for Sudanese rebels three years ago.

“The forces which entered Tripoli, part of their arms and capabilities, were 100 per cent Sudanese,” he said.

The Libyan authorities declared the country’s liberation on Sunday, two days after Col Gaddafi had been killed during battle for Sirte, one of his two remaining bastions following fall of Tripoli to the rebels in August.
Gaddafi was buried in unmarked grave in a secret location

In collaboration with News from Africa.

Resolution 2016, submitted by Russia and Britain and approved by all 15 council members, revokes at the end of October the provisions set out by Resolution 1973. Resolution 1973 was adopted by the council on March 17 and led to a no-fly zone enforcement by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The resolution passed on Thursday welcomed “the positive developments in Libya which will improve the prospects for a democratic, peaceful and prosperous future there.”

The killing of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and the subsequent Oct. 23 declaration of liberation of the people of Libya from his regime have brought Libya into a new stage with a new interim government. The declaration brought to an end a conflict between the Gaddafi regime and Libyan rebels that has gone on since February and involved NATO participation on the side of the rebels.

Vitaly Churkin, permanent representative of Russia to the UN, explained the process behind the drafting of resolution 2016 while addressing reporters after the vote.

“We worked productively and well with the delegation of the United Kingdom in filling out that resolution,” he said. “The UK delegation added some elements to our resolution, we added some elements to their elements.”

Churkin called the new resolution “very important,” as it underlines the dramatic happenings in Libya in recent months.
“We expect the NATO council to act in accordance with this decision of the Security Council of the Untied Nations and to suspend its operation at midnight of Oct. 31,” he said. “So we hope that indeed a new chapter is being opened in Libya and the Libyan people will be able to take advantage of the situation to build the new Libya they desire. The United Nations is prepared to support them in that and the Russian Federation is prepared to support them in that.”

The U.S. permanent representative to the UN, Susan Rice, told reporters that she believes the council’s ongoing work on Libya has been an “extraordinary period of activity.”

She said that the U.S., which is a member of NATO and supported its actions in Libya, is both hopeful for Libya’s future and would like the new interim government to ensure that it is inclusive of all Libyans and respectful of their rights regardless of their backgrounds.

Saif al-Islam who was being escorted by pro-Gaddafi fighters, had already established contacts with the Nigerien Armed Forces (FAN) in the Agadez region.

The same source said a military brigade had been sent to look for him.

On Tuesday, a Nigerien military source said on Monday night, Saif al-Islam who is being sought by Interpol had tried to cross over to the Nigerien territory in the extreme northern parts of the country, on the border with Libya.

Saif al-Islam and his brother-in-law Abdallah al-Senoussi are being sought by the ICC for committing crimes against humanity.

A governmental source from Niamey said al-Senoussi who was serving as Gaddafi’s head of intelligence was spotted last week in the extreme northern parts of Niger, near the border with Libya.

It should be recalled that since September, Niamey has been hosting close confidants of Gaddafi among them his son Saadi Gaddafi “for humanitarian reasons”.

Beyondheadlines Foreign Reporter

No confirmation could be reached of, who fired the shots that killed Malaysian Bernama cameraman in Mogadishu Somalia on 2nd September this year. Noramfaizul Mohd Nor 39, working as a cameraman for Bernama the official Malaysian Government News Agency, was shot dead on second day of Eid which raised great public sentiment and sympathy for his family. Foreign Minister said it was initially thought the shots came from African Union Mission but no confirmation could be reached. The authorities in Somalia were unsuccessful in getting the confirmation as they did not enjoy the cooperation of local war lords.He said they had asked them to investigate so it does not happen again. Such cases have been reported from Afghanistan, Iraq and other war torn countries.

The cameraman and other media persons were in Somalia to cover the Putra 1 Malaysia Club Humanitarian Mission to the famine stricken country. Clashes between rival militia groups lead to sudden and sporadic gun fire. The journalist were returning to their hotel when their four wheel drive was hit by gun fire and Nor lost his life and another TV3 injured.They were accompanied by local militia that are routinely engaged for protection and safety. Media Right Watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Somalia as Africa’s deadliest country for media personnel. It puts the total at, 23 journalist who have lost their lives there since 2007.

Somalia is worse affected country in the Horn of Africa with 10 million facing starvation and death. Without humanitarian aid the country faces famine which in parts have alrady been declared by UN.The Putra Malaysian Club has since decided to return next month to continue with the mission. The Minister has however prepared to keep in contact with authorities to keep the volunteers protected. The Club plans to open a refugee camp and name it after the killed cameraman.

Doha-based TV channel Al-Jazeera quoted the announcement by a senior official of the rebel National Transitional Council (NTC) at a press conference as saying that the NTC has transferred its executive committee’s work to Tripoli.

A Libyan rebel fighter arrives to reinforce his comrades as they make a final push to flush out pro-Gaddafi forces in Tripoli. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

The official said Tripoli will remain the capital of Libya, calling on the police to resume work and restore order in the city.

The official paid tribute to “the martyrs” in the rebels’ fighting with forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and expressed appreciation for the support offered by countries such as Britain and Qatar.

The NTC will not revenge on Gaddafi loyalists, but must put Gaddafi to justice, the official said.

The rebels entered the capital earlier this week and overran Gaddafi’s military compound Tuesday after a day of fierce fighting. They claimed that they have controlled 90 percent of Tripoli, but intense fighting was still going on in many parts of the city between the rebels and Gaddafi’s loyalists.

Gaddafi’s era is over and the real victory of Libyan revolution lies in the capture of him, said Mustafa Abdul Jalil, head of Libya’s National Transitional Council, at a press conference on Monday.

Jalil promised that Gaddafi would be given a fair trial if captured alive.

Libyan rebels enter the suburb of Tripoli, capital of Libya (Courtesy: Xinhua/Hamza Turkia)

Tripoli is under the rebels’ full control except for Bab al-Aziziyah, Gaddafi’s longtime command center, he said, adding that Gaddafi’s whereabouts remains unknown.

Jalil noted that nationwide, Surt and Sabah are still under the control of Gaddafi forces. But he said he believed Gaddafi forces will rise up from within when the blockades in these places are broken.

Earlier there were reports that Gaddafi’s elder son Mohammed and second son Saif al-Islam are both under custody of rebels in safe places.

But Saif, who was considered heir apparent, latter showed up on the streets on Tripoli and said his father is fine and is in Tripoli.

Jalil said that the new Libya will be a mild state and a responsible member of the international community, with Tripoli as the future capital.

Libyan people will be protected from political assassination, arrests and hanging, and the rebels will put down weapons as soon as peace is achieved, he stressed.

The rebel leader said that Gaddafi’s dream of dividing Libya was shattered and he would only be remembered for his acts against Libya and the world.

Jalil said that the new government will work to achieve safety, security, peace and prosperity for the people.

Meanwhile, NATO continued airstrikes on Gaddafi’s compound in Tripoli early Tuesday, the Dubai-based Al-Arabiya television cited rebel sources as reporting.

The unnamed sources said they could hear the attacks from near Bab al-Aziziyah, and bombings could also be heard near the Mitiga airbase, according to the report.

As the rebels continue their efforts to take full control of Tripoli by sending in more fighters and weapons, pro-Gaddafi tanks on Monday rolled out of the Bab al-Aziziyah compound in a bid to fend off rebels.

Many of the streets in the city center were left empty as they came under sniper shots and artillery fire, al-Jazeera television reported.

Although the rebels are closing in on one of Gaddafi’s last bastions, they were confronted by resistance of heavily-armed troops loyal to the Libyan leader.

“There are some Gaddafi forces still putting up a fight,” reported an al-Jazeera reporter from the scene.

The whereabouts of Gaddafi remained a myth but South Africa denied that it plans to give him a sanctuary.

In Johannesburg, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane dismissed reports that the country sent planes to Libya to arrange for the exit of Gaddafi.

She said South Africa is not ready to recognize the Libyan rebel government at the moment.

Libyan rebel forces took control of most of Tripoli on Sunday night and were still clearing up the remnants of pro-Gaddafi forces.

Residents in Tripoli flocked into the streets overnight to welcome the rebel forces, while thousands were celebrating the victory of the Libyan rebels in the opposition’s stronghold Benghazi.

Abdel Fattah Younes, Gaddafi’s former security minister who defected to the opposition Transitional National Council (TNC) and became its military leader in February, was shot dead by assailants after being summoned back from the battlefield, opposition leader Moustafa Abdel-Jalil said Thursday.

File photo of Abdel Fattah Younes

A three-day mourning was planned for Younes in the rebels’ stronghold of Benghazi.

The death was announced as the rebel forces launched a broader assault on government forces Thursday, seizing three small towns in western Libya while advancing toward the town of Badr and two other areas.

Meanwhile, the TNC was recognized as Libya’s legitimate representative by more countries, installing ambassadors in Paris and London on Thursday to formalize ties with its main allies in the fight to topple Gaddafi.

Rejecting UN envoy Abdel Elah al-Khatib’s proposals for ceasefire and a power-sharing government, Jalil told Xinhua in an interview that the removal of Gaddafi and his followers from office is the prerequisite for any political solution to the Libya crisis.

In the United Nations, B. Lynn Pascoe, under-secretary-general for political affairs, said Thursday that the UN should remain poised to help Libya, as the northern African country faces major obstacles to peace and security.

“The challenges posed by the crisis in Libya are serious ones, but we believe they can be managed by staying closely involved, actively pursuing a negotiated solution, and planning carefully for a possible role, if asked, in the future,” Pascoe told the UN Security Council as it held consultations on the situation in Libya.

Pascoe said the humanitarian situation on the ground in Libya continues to worsen. Up to 630,000 people have left the country since the conflict began, and 200,000 have been internally displaced throughout the country. More than 1,000 people have died trying to escape from Libya to Europe.

As the Libya war drags on, at least 6,000 refugees fled Libya Wednesday into Tunisia through the Ras El Jedir border point.

More refugees are expected to cross into Tunisia in the wake of the escalation of violence in Libya, Tunisia’s official news agency TAP said.