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| Mauritania extradites Libya spy chief Abdullah al-Senussi | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Mauritania has handed Libya's former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi over, the Libyan authorities have confirmed. | |
| A flight carrying him from the West African country has arrived in Tripoli. | |
| Libya wants to try Mr Senussi for crimes allegedly committed during his time as Col Gaddafi's right-hand man. He is also wanted by France and the International Criminal Court (ICC). | Libya wants to try Mr Senussi for crimes allegedly committed during his time as Col Gaddafi's right-hand man. He is also wanted by France and the International Criminal Court (ICC). |
| Mauritania previously said he must first face charges of illegal entry. | |
| He fled Libya after last year's uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. | He fled Libya after last year's uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi. |
| He was arrested on arrival in Mauritania, sparking repeated requests from the Libyan government for his return. | He was arrested on arrival in Mauritania, sparking repeated requests from the Libyan government for his return. |
| Reports of his extradition were first carried by state TV and the state news agency in Mauritania, and only confirmed by the Libyan authorities once his flight landed in Tripoli. | |
| "He was extradited to Libya on the basis of guarantees given by Libyan authorities," a Mauritanian government source told Reuters news agency, without giving details. | "He was extradited to Libya on the basis of guarantees given by Libyan authorities," a Mauritanian government source told Reuters news agency, without giving details. |
| According to reports, Mr Senussi was delivered to an official Libyan delegation headed by the minister of justice. | |
| In the six months since Abdullah al-Senussi was arrested in Mauritania, there has been a tough fight over where he should be brought to justice. | In the six months since Abdullah al-Senussi was arrested in Mauritania, there has been a tough fight over where he should be brought to justice. |
| As intelligence chief to former Libyan leader Col Gaddafi, Senussi is accused of playing a part in the bombing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, the bombing of a French airliner over Niger, and crimes within Libya including the notorious massacre at Abu Salim prison. | As intelligence chief to former Libyan leader Col Gaddafi, Senussi is accused of playing a part in the bombing of a Pan Am flight over Lockerbie, the bombing of a French airliner over Niger, and crimes within Libya including the notorious massacre at Abu Salim prison. |
| The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague claims jurisdiction, as do the French, and the Americans have an interest in bringing him to justice as well. But the Libyan authorities have won the battle to bring him to court. | |
| The decision by Mauritania to send Senussi back to Libya is a particular blow to the ICC. It must make it even less likely that the court will win its fight to try Col Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam, at The Hague. | The decision by Mauritania to send Senussi back to Libya is a particular blow to the ICC. It must make it even less likely that the court will win its fight to try Col Gaddafi's son, Seif al-Islam, at The Hague. |
| The BBC's Jon Leyne in Cairo says Mr Senussi's extradition to Libya is a blow for the ICC. | |
| Not only has the court been trying to win custody of Mr Senussi, he says, it is also arguing that Col Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam should also be brought to justice at the court. | Not only has the court been trying to win custody of Mr Senussi, he says, it is also arguing that Col Gaddafi's son Seif al-Islam should also be brought to justice at the court. |
| Massacre | Massacre |
| One official quoted by AP news agency said the former spy-chief left Mauritania on Wednesday on a Libya-bound flight. | |
| A witness at the airport was quoted as saying Mr Senussi was not handcuffed and seemed in good spirits as he boarded the plane. | A witness at the airport was quoted as saying Mr Senussi was not handcuffed and seemed in good spirits as he boarded the plane. |
| In March, Mr Senussi was arrested at Nouakchott airport in Mauritania after flying in from Morocco. He was disguised as a Tuareg chieftain and was carrying a fake passport. | In March, Mr Senussi was arrested at Nouakchott airport in Mauritania after flying in from Morocco. He was disguised as a Tuareg chieftain and was carrying a fake passport. |
| He was later charged with illegally entering the country and using forged documents, and transferred to the civilian prison in Nouakchott. However, it is believed he has spent most of his time in Mauritania under house arrest at a private villa. | He was later charged with illegally entering the country and using forged documents, and transferred to the civilian prison in Nouakchott. However, it is believed he has spent most of his time in Mauritania under house arrest at a private villa. |
| In June 2011, the ICC issued a warrant for Mr Senussi for crimes against humanity alleged to have been carried out in Benghazi, the main base of the Libyan opposition during the revolt last year. | In June 2011, the ICC issued a warrant for Mr Senussi for crimes against humanity alleged to have been carried out in Benghazi, the main base of the Libyan opposition during the revolt last year. |
| France has already sentenced Mr Senussi to life imprisonment for the shooting down of a UTA airliner over Niger in 1989 in which 170 people were killed. | France has already sentenced Mr Senussi to life imprisonment for the shooting down of a UTA airliner over Niger in 1989 in which 170 people were killed. |
| He has been accused of various human rights abuses including his alleged role in the 1996 massacre of more than 1,000 inmates at the Abu Salim prison in Tripoli. | He has been accused of various human rights abuses including his alleged role in the 1996 massacre of more than 1,000 inmates at the Abu Salim prison in Tripoli. |
| He is alleged to have ordered guards standing on grated ceilings above the inmates to fire down on them, after riots broke out over demands for better food and conditions. | He is alleged to have ordered guards standing on grated ceilings above the inmates to fire down on them, after riots broke out over demands for better food and conditions. |
| Mr Senussi is also believed to have information about Libyans kidnapped and assassinated abroad during Gaddafi's rule, and the financing of terrorist organisations, especially in Africa. | Mr Senussi is also believed to have information about Libyans kidnapped and assassinated abroad during Gaddafi's rule, and the financing of terrorist organisations, especially in Africa. |
| Investigators in the US and UK also believe he may have further knowledge about the 1988 airliner bombing over Lockerbie in Scotland in which 270 people died. | Investigators in the US and UK also believe he may have further knowledge about the 1988 airliner bombing over Lockerbie in Scotland in which 270 people died. |
| Earlier this year, US House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who led a delegation to the region, said Washington had a "particular interest" in seeing Mr Senussi arrested "because of his role with the Lockerbie bombing". | Earlier this year, US House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who led a delegation to the region, said Washington had a "particular interest" in seeing Mr Senussi arrested "because of his role with the Lockerbie bombing". |