The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on Thursday opened a probe into atrocities allegedly committed by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his top aides in a recent crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Some 2,000 people are believed to have been killed in clashes between protesters and pro-Gaddafi forces since a popular uprising began in the North African country on February 15. Inspired by recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, Libyans are demanding an end to Gaddafi's 42-year authoritarian rule.
"We have identified some individuals in the de facto or former authority who have authority over the security forces who allegedly committed the crimes," ICC Prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo told reporters at a news conference in the Dutch capital.
"They are Muammar Gaddafi, his inner circle including some of his sons, who had this de facto authority. There are also some people with formal authority who should pay attention to crimes committed by their people," he said.
The United Nations Security Council referred Libya's crackdown on demonstrators to the ICC on Saturday.
The investigation could take several months, Moreno-Ocampo said.
The next step is for the Prosecutor to present his case to ICC judges who will then decide whether or not to issue arrest warrants based on the evidence.
MOSCOW, March 3 (RIA Novosti)
