Saiful-Islam to be tried in Zintan in September

Previously the National Transitional Council had insisted that the trail would take place in Tripoli the capital and had built a new courthouse for the trial.However with the election of the new National General Congress the ministers agreed to hold the trial in Zintan ,citing security fears about moving Saif to Tripoli.

Three Libyan judges will hear the case, which is expected to last for up to six months, with two prosecuting counsel. If the accused does not appoint a defence  lawyer the court  will appoint one for him. The prosecutors have a substantial body of evidence including phone intercepts,video clips , documents and witness statements. Saif is accused of inciting his followers to kill demonstrators and if found guilty he could face the death penalty.
 
Saif ul-Islam having said he preferred to be tried in Libya changed his mind and asked to be tried at the International Criminal  Court ( ICC) in the Hague. The Libyan authorities have refused to allow the ICC to have anything to do with the case following the arrest and detention of the ICC lawyer Melinda Taylor and her colleagues in Zintan for allegedly passing coded messages to Said Gaddafi from one of his followers  who was said to be trying to free him. They were subsequently released.
 
The Libyan authorities have a real fear of Gadaffi loyalists mounting an attack on Libya as threatened by Saadi Gadaffi who is in Niger. There are said to be loyalists based in a number of locations including Egypt and Algeria. The security situation remains fragile.