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| Libya dashes hopes of early release for Australian ICC official | Libya dashes hopes of early release for Australian ICC official |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Libya has begun "interrogating" an official from the international criminal court whom it has detained, apparently scuppering a deal for her early release brokered by Australia's foreign minister. | |
| Melinda Taylor, an Australian ICC official, was arrested in the mountain town of Zintan on 7 June after meeting the indicted war crimes suspect Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is being held by the town's militia. | Melinda Taylor, an Australian ICC official, was arrested in the mountain town of Zintan on 7 June after meeting the indicted war crimes suspect Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who is being held by the town's militia. |
| Tripoli said on Wednesday night that Taylor, one of four ICC officers who were on an official visit to Libya, had tried to deliver documents to Saif that were not part of her work for the court. | Tripoli said on Wednesday night that Taylor, one of four ICC officers who were on an official visit to Libya, had tried to deliver documents to Saif that were not part of her work for the court. |
| "An interrogation of them is under way," said the Libyan government spokesman Nassar el-Manee. "There is evidence that proves they have breached the law." | "An interrogation of them is under way," said the Libyan government spokesman Nassar el-Manee. "There is evidence that proves they have breached the law." |
| Tripoli says the documents represented a "threat to national security", but has given no details. | Tripoli says the documents represented a "threat to national security", but has given no details. |
| The decision comes after the Australian foreign minister, Robert Carr, met Libya's prime minister, Abdulrahim el-Keib, earlier this week, announcing a hope that Taylor would be released if the ICC issued an "apology". | |
| Manee said such an apology would not prevent a criminal case being launched. "They [the ICC] should say: 'We have made a mistake,'" said Manee. "When the interrogation is complete we will explain everything." | Manee said such an apology would not prevent a criminal case being launched. "They [the ICC] should say: 'We have made a mistake,'" said Manee. "When the interrogation is complete we will explain everything." |
| Taylor's three colleagues – a Lebanese translator, Russian diplomat and Spanish legal expert – have been told they are free to leave Zintan but have elected to stay with Taylor. | Taylor's three colleagues – a Lebanese translator, Russian diplomat and Spanish legal expert – have been told they are free to leave Zintan but have elected to stay with Taylor. |
| The arrest of Taylor is spiralling into the most serious crisis in the ICC's 10-year history. Never before has one of its officials been arrested and held in detention. | The arrest of Taylor is spiralling into the most serious crisis in the ICC's 10-year history. Never before has one of its officials been arrested and held in detention. |
| The ICC spokesman Fadi el-Abdallah told the Guardian on Thursday that the court was negotiating with the Libyan government, and that Taylor was being held in Zintan incommunicado, with ICC lawyers having been allowed only one visit to her, on 12 June. | |
| "She has immunity like all delegation members," he said. "Libya has the obligation to fully respect obligations in resolution 1970 by the [UN] security council." | "She has immunity like all delegation members," he said. "Libya has the obligation to fully respect obligations in resolution 1970 by the [UN] security council." |
| Carr said earlier this week that Tripoli would be likely to release Taylor if the ICC agreed that Saif could be tried in Libya, rather than The Hague. | Carr said earlier this week that Tripoli would be likely to release Taylor if the ICC agreed that Saif could be tried in Libya, rather than The Hague. |
| But ICC judges can make such a decision only if they are satisfied that Libya, struggling to rebuild a shattered country after last year's civil war, can guarantee Saif al-Islam Gaddafi a fair trial with a fully functioning legal system. | But ICC judges can make such a decision only if they are satisfied that Libya, struggling to rebuild a shattered country after last year's civil war, can guarantee Saif al-Islam Gaddafi a fair trial with a fully functioning legal system. |