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Saif al-Islam Qaddafi |
Nov 19 (Reuters) - Libya's prime minister hailed the capture of Muammar Gaddafi's son on Saturday as the "crowning" of the Libyan uprising and promised a fair trial for Saif al-Islam, who was found in the southern desert overnight.
"I want to assure our people and all nations of the world that Saif and those with him will be given a fair trial, with the guarantees of local and international law - those legal processes which our own people were deprived of," he told a news conference in the Western mountain town of Zintan, where Saif al-Islam and several bodyguards had been taken.
The West urged Libya's new rulers to give Saif al-Islam a fair trial and work with the International Criminal Court to bring him to justice, fearing he might suffer the same fate as his father, who was beaten and shot dead after his capture.
Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt pressed for his removal to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, which wants to try the 39-year-old on charges of crimes against humanity during the crackdown on protests.
But many Libyans want Saif al-Islam tried at home, believing he knows the location of billions of dollars of public money amassed by the Gaddafi family.
Libya's interim justice minister said the country would try him first, for crimes that carry the death penalty.
"We are ready to prosecute Saif al-Islam," Mohammed al-Alagy said. "We have adopted enough legal and judicial procedures to ensure a fair trial for him."