Gaddafi's Son in Prison Cell with 'Missing Fingers'

The Zintan fighters, who make up one of Libya's most powerful militia factions that hold effective power in a country still without a government, said they planned to keep him in Zintan until they could hand him over to the authorities.

Following news of his capture, Libya's interim justice minister confirmed that the younger Gaddafi could now face the death penalty if tried on home soil rather than by an international criminal court.

Asked what Libya planned for him, Mohammed al-Alagy said: 'He has instigated others to kill, has misused public funds, threatened and instigated and even took part in recruiting and bringing in mercenaries.

'This is just a small account of the crimes that the Libyan prosecutor general is going to bring against him.'

Asked if such crimes carried the death penalty, Alagy said: 'Yes.It was created by Gaddafi.'

The International Criminal Court at The Hague indicted the younger Gaddafi for crimes against humanity relating to allegations that he ordered the killing of demonstrators after February's uprising. But Libyans want to try him at home for crimes allegedly committed over previous years.

'We are ready to prosecute Saif al-Islam,' Alagy said.

'We have adopted enough legal and judicial procedures to ensure a fair trial for him.'

Noting that the interim government had done away with special military courts used by Muammar Gaddafi to persecute opponents, Alagy said: 'We have abolished all exceptional courts and have separated the judicial and executive powers.

'We call on all international and local organisations to attend Saif al-Islam's trial. We will prosecute him in accordance with the international standards.'