International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Moammar Gadhafi

**TennesseeRain** · 27th June 2011 06:44 AM

The International Criminal Court in The Hague today issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The court also issued warrant for Gadhafi's son and intelligence chief.
The charges cover alleged crimes since the latest popular uprising, the Associated Press reports.

Among the charges against Gadhafi: orchestrating the killing, injuring, arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of civilians during the first 12 days of the uprising and for trying to cover up the alleged crimes.

The warrants could complicate attempts to pressure Gadhafi to give up power and leave the country, the AP says.

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, who investigated the case against Gadhafi and called for the arrest warrants, said in May that Gadhafi's forces were imprisoning and torturing dissidents before making them "disappear."

"These are not just crimes against Libyans, they are crimes against humanity as a whole," he said.

Al-Jazeera TV notes that the action by the ICC is only the second time in its nine-year history that it has issued an arrest warrant for a sitting head of state. The first, for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in 2009, has yet to be enforced.

International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Moammar Gadhafi -

Does anyone know how the warrant can be executed? It looks more like a dog and pony show to me.

**Babba** · 27th June 2011 06:48 AM

Yup, dog and pony show. Just months ago he was an ally. I find it interesting that now he's public enemy number one. Not that I am defending Gadhafi, he's an awful human being, but why is he suddenly our big, bad enemy? I find it all very odd.

**res** · 27th June 2011 06:56 AM

It's like in Orwell's 1984. When Eurasia becomes allies with Oceania it rewrites it's history so that it appears that it has never been at war with it and vice versa once it declares war on Oceania it rewrites history so that it appears as though the two countries were in perpetual war since the dawn of time.

**jackalope** · 27th June 2011 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by TennesseeRain

...

Does anyone know how the warrant can be executed? It looks more like a dog and pony show to me.

It looks like it doesn't mean much. A Nat'l Journal article notes that UN member states are required to enforce arrest warrants, but the one against the Sudanese President hasn't been enforced:

... All U.N. member states are now required to arrest Qaddafi if he attempts to seek exile in their countries, but the only other arrest warrant the ICC issued for a sitting head of state, Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, has yet to be enforced.

NationalJournal.com - ICC Issues Arrest Warrants for Qaddafi, Son and Intel Chief - Monday, June 27, 2011

And an al-Jazeera article points out that the Sudanese President has traveled to other countries after the arrest warrant was issued, but nothing happened:

... It's unclear what practical effect the arrest warrant will have on the three men. Gaddafi has made no public indication he is willing to give up power, and the warrant against Bashir seems to have little chance of being enforced: Bashir has travelled to Qatar, Chad and Egypt without incident.

ICC issues Gaddafi arrest warrant - Africa - Al Jazeera English

**CBaz** · 27th June 2011 07:29 AM

theyre just now issuing a warning for his arrest and saying they have evidence? Wow...

**michaelr** · 27th June 2011 08:30 AM

Originally Posted by TennesseeRain

The International Criminal Court in The Hague today issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

The court also issued warrant for Gadhafi's son and intelligence chief.
The charges cover alleged crimes since the latest popular uprising, the Associated Press reports.

Among the charges against Gadhafi: orchestrating the killing, injuring, arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of civilians during the first 12 days of the uprising and for trying to cover up the alleged crimes.

The warrants could complicate attempts to pressure Gadhafi to give up power and leave the country, the AP says.

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo, who investigated the case against Gadhafi and called for the arrest warrants, said in May that Gadhafi's forces were imprisoning and torturing dissidents before making them "disappear."

"These are not just crimes against Libyans, they are crimes against humanity as a whole," he said.

Al-Jazeera TV notes that the action by the ICC is only the second time in its nine-year history that it has issued an arrest warrant for a sitting head of state. The first, for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir in 2009, has yet to be enforced.

International Criminal Court issues arrest warrant for Moammar Gadhafi -

Does anyone know how the warrant can be executed? It looks more like a dog and pony show to me.

I am fairly sure they can attach it to a peace bomb. Spreading dicta.......err democracy and all.