Interpol issues Gaddafi arrest warrant

The Hague. - Interpol yesterday issued arrest warrants for deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi.

The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno-Ocampo, previously asked Interpol to issue a "red notice" to arrest the Libyan ex-leader.

"As far as Interpol's general secretariat headquarters is concerned, Muammar Gaddafi is a fugitive whose country of nationality and the ICC (International Criminal Court) want arrested and held accountable for the serious criminal charges that have been brought against him," Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble said in a statement.

The ICC has already issued arrest warrants for the three men, whose whereabouts are still unknown.

Meanwhile, a senior general in Gaddafi's army has fled to Niger as rebels are ever close to gaining full control of the North African country. As fighting continued in Gaddafi's strongholds, reports claimed that a number of Libyan generals loyal to Gaddafi were now in Burkina Faso having passed through Niger, a source from Niger's ethnic Tuareg community said yesterday.

"Three or four weeks ago a group of generals and senior officials close to Gaddafi entered Niger via Agadez," the source said, giving no numbers.

They continued on to Niamey, where they made large transactions at the Libyan Bisic bank before going on to Burkina Faso, the source added.

Niger's Prime Minister Brigi Rafini was in Burkina Faso last Thursday, for talks with President Blaise Compaore.

The prime minister denied persistent rumours that fugitive former Libyan leader Kadhafi was already in Niger but did not rule out giving him asylum, even though he is wanted by the International Criminal Court.