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Tripoli, March 18: Mauritania is to carry out its own investigation into Abdullah Senussi before evaluating Libya’s or anyone else’s demands for . . .[restrict]his extradition, according to police sources in Nouakchott.
The source said the investigation would involve Interpol. “Only when that investigation is over will the government examine the demand coming from Tripoli or from anywhere else.
The source pointed out that Mauritania’s Directorate of State Security had already started interrogating of Senussi, adding that his possession of a fake Malian passport was one issue it was pursing.
There was no indication how long the investigation would last.
It is reported that a number of Mauritanian lawyers have offered to defend him against extradition proceedings.
In addition to the Libyan demand, France and the International Criminal Court in The Hague have said they too are demanding that Senussi be handed over.
Mauritania is not a signatory to the Rome statute seeing up the ICC and, as such, is under no obligation to hand him over to it. However, it is thought that the Mauritanian government may feel that that is the easier and more advantageous option.
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