Libya urges ICC to open investigation into Qatari crimes

CAIRO – 6 June 2017: The Libyan Justice Ministry intends to file a request to the International Criminal Court (ICC) to open an investigation into alleged Qatari support of terrorist groups on the Libyan territories.

The Libyan Parliament instructed the Libyan Justice Ministry to prepare an integrated file on the damage caused to the country due to Qatar's support of terrorist groups and extremists to destabilize the country, in a statement on Monday.

The move came after Libya's eastern-based government, supported by military forces led by Khalifa Haftar, has followed regional allies; Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain in cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

The three Gulf States as well as Egypt closed their airspace and seaports for the Qatari transportation and withdrew their diplomatic missions from Qatar.

Libya accused Qatar of supporting and funding terrorism in the country since the overthrow of former Libyan President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The Parliament called on the UN Security Council, the ICC and all human rights organizations to open an investigation into the Qatari intervention in the country.

Tensions between Qatar and the other Arab states strained after Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani directed a message to four Arab countries in which he attacked Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE for their attitudes towards Iran.