Kadhafi son 'attacked' in Libya detention: ICC lawyer

THE HAGUE (AFP) - Seif al-Islam, the son of slain Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, has been attacked in detention in Libya, a lawyer from the International Criminal Court said on Thursday.

"Kadhafi has been physically attacked," ICC defence official Xavier-Jean Keita said in a statement accusing Libyan authorities of depriving the country's onetime favourite son of his fundamental rights.

"He also suffers pain due to the absence of dental treatment," the lawyer said in a statement.

Seif al-Islam is wanted on charges of crimes against humanity for his role in trying to put down the uprising to unseat his father in Libya last year.

Keita, who is from the ICC's Office of Public Counsel for the Defence (OPCD) and is acting as Seif's primary counsel, did not say when the attack took place or give any further details.

Keita said Seif's "effective representation cannot be secured in a setting in which the OPCD has no ability to conduct privileged communications with Kadhafi on an ongoing basis, or to transmit privileged documents to him.

"Kadhafi has been interviewed by domestic authorities without the benefit of legal representation, and has been provided misleading information concerning the status of domestic investigations against him," the statement said.

Also Thursday, the global police agency Interpol issued alerts seeking the arrest of two senior officials in Moamer Kadhafi's ousted regime on suspicion of torture and kidnapping.

A statement from the France-based body said Libya had requested assistance in detaining two officials identified as former interior minister Al-Senussi Alozyre, 63, and his former deputy Naser al-Mabruk, 60.

They are "accused of a range of offences including carrying out illegal arrests, unjustified deprivation of personal liberty and torture."

Several other Libyan officials are subject to Interpol "Red Notice" arrest requests, including the dictator's surviving sons and his former intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi, who is being held in Mauritania.