Warrants for the arrests of the desert despot, his son Seif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi were issued Monday by the International Criminal Court in The Hague. The trio are being sought for directing a crackdown during the first two weeks of the Libyan uprising in February that was so bloody it led to a NATO bombing campaign to rescue the rebels. Hit the jump to read the rest of the story.

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Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy is wanted for war crimes.

Warrants for the arrests of the desert despot, his son Seif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi were issued Monday by the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

The trio are being sought for directing a crackdown during the first two weeks of the Libyan uprising in February that was so bloody it led to a NATO bombing campaign to rescue the rebels.

Presiding Judge Sanji Monageng of Botswana said there are “reasonable grounds” to hold them criminally responsible for killing, maiming and jailing hundreds of civilians.

Monageng said Khadafy and his son, whom he described as a “de facto prime minister,” gave Senussi the green light to unleash “one of the most powerful and efficient instruments of repression of the Khadafy regime.”

In March, Interpol issued a global alert known as an orange notice for Khadafy and his corrupt cronies.

It called on the agency’s 188 member countries to aid the International Criminal Court, which had opened a war crimes investigation of Khadafy and his sinister sons and pals.

There had been reports early on that Khadafy might seek exile in Venezuela or Nicaragua – both Interpol member countries.

Khadafy has since vowed to die in Libya and the rebels, who have fought his forces to a standstill, are hoping to grant him his final wish.

The Libyans do not recognize the court. The U.S. and countries including Israel and Sudan also do not recognize the court.

DN