SEIF KHADAFY
Son a “co-perpetrator.”

THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants yesterday for Moammar Khadafy, his son Seif and his intelligence chief for crimes against humanity in the Libyan leader’s four-month battle to cling to power.

Judges announced that the three men are wanted for orchestrating the killing, injuring, arrest and imprisonment of hundreds of civilians during the first 12 days of an uprising to topple Khadafy and for trying to cover up the crimes.

The warrants turn Khadafy, his son Seif al-Islam Khadafy and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanoussi into internationally wanted suspects.

Presiding judge Sanji Monageng of Botswana said yesterday that there were “reasonable grounds to believe” that Khadafy and his son are “criminally responsible as indirect co-perpetrators” for the murder and persecution of civilians.

Libyan officials rejected the court’s authority even before the decision was read, claiming the court had unfairly targeted Africans while ignoring what they called crimes committed by NATO in Afghanistan, Iraq “and in Libya now.”

“The ICC has no legitimacy whatsoever. We will deal with it . . . All of its activities are directed at African leaders,” government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters.