Gaddafi's son appears in Libyan court

Dubai, May 3 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Saif al-Islam, the jailed son of slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, briefly appeared in a court in Libya Thursday to face criminal charges.

Saif, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on war crimes charges, has been held in Zintan town since his capture in November 2011.

Libya wants to try him itself, while The Hague insists that he should be tried by the international court.

Separate from the war-related charges, Saif has been accused of giving sensitive information to an ICC lawyer last year that could endanger national security and insulting the national flag.

It was his second court appearance Thursday since the case opened in January. The trial was postponed until Sep 19 as the defence requested more time to study the case.

Saif, 40, was considered the most likely successor to Muammar Gaddafi and actively supported his father's attempts to quash the Libyan rebellion in 2011.

Gaddafi's regime was overthrown in October 2011 by opposition forces with NATO's assistance after a seven-month civil war.

Gaddafi, who had ruled the country for almost 42 years, was captured and killed by rebels near his home town of Sirte.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

pm/