LIBYA: Interpol issues alert for Kadafi, relatives and associates
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Interpol has issued an international security alert for Moammar Kadafi and 15 of his relatives and associates to help enforce international sanctions against the Libyan strongman and his regime.
The international police organization said in a statement Friday that Kadafi, his relatives and allies “have been identified as being involved in or complicit in planning attacks, including aerial bombardments, on civilian populations.’
‘As a first priority, we must work to protect the civilian populations of Libya and of any country into which these Libyan individuals may travel or attempt to move their assets,” said Interpol Secretary-General Ronald K. Noble.
Interpol issued an orange alert, indicating an act or event that poses a risk to public safety. The alert is sent to Interpol’s 188 members around the world, and provides law enforcement and border police with information on the targeted individuals that can be used to block their movements and freeze their assets.
The United Nations Security Council has imposed a global asset freeze on Kadafi, his four sons and daughter, and placed a travel ban on the family and 10 associates. The council also backed an arms embargo and referred the Libyan government’s bloody attacks on protesters to a war crimes tribunal for investigation. “If member states are expected to implement effectively the travel ban and asset freeze against the named individuals in order to prevent serious criminal conduct and abuse of human rights, they will need instant access to hard data,’ Noble said. ‘Interpol’s secure global communications system and databases will give them access to the information on which to act.... Our co-operation with the U.N. Security Council on sanctions against individuals is strong and will get stronger. Once the relevant U.N. committee for monitoring the implementation of these sanctions has had an opportunity to consider the matter, Interpol hopes to work with the U.N. to obtain the issuance of and ensure the reliability of Interpol–U.N. Security Council Special Notices for these individuals.’
-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske