INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT:THE CHIEF prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has warned Libya's Col Muammar Gadafy that attacks on civilians in Benghazi would constitute a war crime.
With tanks and artillery advancing on the city, Luis Moreno-Ocampo said such an attack would see Col Gadafy and his generals facing the full force of international law. “A government cannot attack civilians,” he said. “There is no impunity.”
Hours earlier, Col Gadafy vowed to show “no mercy” in the expected assault on Benghazi, the key rebel stronghold. Libya warned civilians to leave the city before fighting began. Mr Ocampo said such warnings did not absolve the regime of responsibility for civilian casualties.
He said: “Any indiscriminate attack against civilians would constitute war crimes. The issuance of such a warning does not provide an excuse to attack civilians. Civilians can remain in their cities.”
On Libya’s threat to retaliate against the UN’s no-fly zone by targeting shipping in the Mediterranean, the prosecutor said: “If this happens I will present a case against them.” His statements are aimed at restraining Libya’s army. The warning is directed not just at Col Gadafy, who is likely to face war crimes charges for actions earlier in the rebellion, but at generals and airforce commanders not so far indicted.
The court was mandated by the United Nations Security Council to investigate war crimes in Libya two weeks ago, and Mr Ocampo has already drawn up a list of eight suspects, including the president and several of his sons. Prosecutors say the case against Col Gadafy is strong: he is clearly in command of Libya’s security forces, and the tone of his characteristically fiery threats form powerful evidence against him.