'He's Ours': Libya Refuses To Hand Over Gadhafi Son To ICC

Libya has refused to hand over Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to International prosecutors, insisting the son of Libya's former dictator will stand trial in his own country on charges of financial corruption, murder and rape.

Saif, the second son of the dictator killed in November, has been held captive in a secret prison since his capture by fighters from Zintan during last year's uprising.

Since his capture, the International Criminal Court in The Hague has repeatedly called for him to be handed over to stand trial for crimes against humanity.

Ali Ashour, Libya's justice minister, has denied claims Saif is being mistreated and told Reuters the former face of the Gaddafi regime would continue to be held in Libya, according to Reuters.

There is no intention to hand him (Saif al-Islam) over to the ICC, and Libyan law is the right system to be used to try Saif Gaddafi, he said.

He eats with the people who guard him, and he is in good condition.

Pressure on Libya to hand Saif over has been growing, with human rights organizations saying he will not receive a fair trial there.

On Sunday, a delegation from the ICC arrived in the capital Tripoli to discuss handing him over, the latest attempt by the court to assert its international standing.

According to a UN Security Council resolution, the ICC has jurisdiction over Saif and could report Libya to the Council if Libyan authorities fail to comply with their demands.

Ashour added his ministry had prepared a specially built prison for Saif, and that the government was in talks with Zintan fighters to hand him over.

The fate of Saif echoes that of former regime intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi, who will be transferred from Mauritania to Libya in an agreement hammered out last month.