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Interpol issues Gaddafi arrest warrant

Interpol has issued arrest warrants for Libya's Colonel Gaddafi, his son Saif al Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al Senussi.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) made the request to the international police organisation, which is based in Lyon, France.

"As far as Interpol's general secretariat headquarters is concerned, Muammar Gaddafi is a fugitive whose country of nationality and the ICC want arrested and held accountable for the serious criminal charges that have been brought against him," Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble said.

Crimes against humanity

ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo confirmed Interpol was requested to issue the red notice to arrest Col Gaddafi for alleged crimes against humanity.

Libya's deposed leader has not been seen in public for months and went underground after anti-regime fighters swept into the Libyan capital of Tripoli on August 21.

Interpol said in a statement it has transmitted the red notices to all of its 188 member countries.

keep fighting

The question of Col Gaddafi's whereabouts has been the subject of extensive speculation in Libya, and rumours have put him everywhere from deep in a bunker under Tripoli to safe in exile in neighbouring countries.

On Thursday, Col Gaddafi himself dismissed talk of his flight, saying in an audio broadcast that he is still in Libya, and exhorted followers to keep fighting.

Iheanacho (with agency reports)