The government of Niger has confirmed to the United States that it has detained Muammar Gadafy's son, Saadi, and is studying what to do with him, the US State Department said this evening.
"We have confirmed with the government of Niger that Saadi crossed over (and) that they are either in the process or have already brought him to the capital of Naimey and intend to detain him," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.
Ms Nuland said Niger was in contact with Libya's interim National Transitional Council (NTC) and was assessing what to do next both with him and other Libyans linked to the Gadafy government who have crossed into the country in recent days.
"The government of Niger, as it did with the previous members of the regime, has made clear to the NTC that it is prepared to cooperate with the Libyan Transitional National Council on the disposition of these people," Ms Nuland said.
"The NTC is trying to make its own decisions about what it thinks the appropriate course of action is."
Niger said it is keeping Saadi Gadafy, under surveillance and has not detained him.
"Nothing has changed in the government's position. There is no international search for him. Like the others he is just under surveillance," a government spokesman said, referring to other Gadadfy loyalists who have recently fled to Niger.
A Niger cabinet official said last week that the northern African country would respect its commitments to the International Criminal Court if Gadafy or his sons entered the country.
Britain and other countries in the international coalition backing Libyan insurgents against Gadafy have said this week they would expect any ICC signatory country to hand the former Libyan leader over to the Hague-based court.
Saadi, the fugitive ruler's 37-year-old son, entered Niger in a convoy with nine other people, said the country's justice minister Amadou Morou. The vehicles were traveling south toward the outpost of Agadez, where other fleeing Libyan loyalists are believed to be holed up in a hotel.
"I wish to announce that one of Col Gadafy's sons - Saadi Gadafy - was intercepted in the north of Niger by a patrol of the Nigerien military," Mr Morou told reporters late last night.
He said Saadi "has no status at all" in Niger, indicating that he has not been granted refugee status, which would guarantee him certain rights.
Agencies