NOUAKCHOTT, Mauritania (AP) ? Mauritania will hand over one of Moammar Gadhafi's closest associates, former Libyan intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senoussi, for trial in his home country, a Libyan official said Wednesday.
"The Mauritanian government has given their agreement for the extradition of Abdullah al-Senoussi to Libya so he can be judged by a fair process," said Libyan spokesman Nasser al-Manei.
He did not say when the move might happen, but said the Libyan delegation had visited al-Senoussi in his cell in Mauritania's capital and confirmed his identity.
The former intelligence chief is accused of attacking civilians during the uprising in Libya last year and of the 1989 bombing of a French airliner. He was considered Gadhafi's "black box" and known to be among his inner circle of confidants. He was also the ousted leader's brother-in-law.
Al-Senoussi was detained Saturday in Mauritania.
The International Criminal Court, France and Libya have all said they want to prosecute al-Senoussi.
He is wanted in Libya for a number of crimes, including his alleged role in the Abu Salim prison massacre of more than 1,200 prisoners by Gadhafi's regime in 1996.
Judges at the Netherlands-based ICC issued an arrest warrant for al-Senoussi last June on two counts of crimes against humanity ? murder and persecution ? for allegedly masterminding attacks on civilians in the early days of the uprising that eventually toppled Gadhafi from power.
Mauritania is not a member of the court.
The court also indicted Gadhafi but the ousted leader was killed by rebel fighters in October. Libyan authorities say they want to put Seif al-Islam, one of Gadhafi's sons, on trial at home instead of turning him over him to the court.
Libyan officials are currently holding Seif al-Islam, who was arrested in November by fighters in Libya's remote southern desert. The former heir apparent has been held largely without access to the outside world ever since.
France convicted al-Senoussi and five other Libyans in absentia and sentenced them to life in prison in France for the 1989 bombing of a passenger jet over Niger that killed all 170 people on board including 54 French people. The French government asked last year that he be handed over to France when captured.
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