ICC staff 'moved to Libya jail'

Ajami al-Ateri heads the Zintan brigade, which is holding Saif al-Islam Gaddafi

Four people from an International Criminal Court (ICC) delegation to Libya have been moved to jail, a militia brigade chief has told the BBC.

The four were detained on Thursday and will be held for 45 days pending investigation, Ajami al-Ateri said.

One of the delegation, lawyer Melinda Taylor, is accused of trying to pass documents to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi.

Saif al-Islam, son of deposed leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, has been held by the Zintan brigade since November.

The four had been moved to jail under orders from the attorney general's office and the defence ministry, Mr Ateri said.

He also told the BBC that protests would be held in Zintan calling for the delegation to be prosecuted.

The Libyan foreign ministry confirmed the 45-day detention period but said that the four were still being in a guest-house, the BBC's Rana Jawad reports from Tripoli.

Secret code

The Australian authorities say they are seeking consular access to Ms Taylor, an Australian citizen, as well as clarification on the circumstances of her detention.

"We are calling on the Libyan government to expedite the end of Ms Taylor's detention," Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard told reporters.

Another ICC team arrived in Libya on Sunday to try to secure the delegation's release. Libyan officials say they are holding meetings with the team in Tripoli today and are hoping to visit the detainees in Zintan by tomorrow.

"I call on the Libyan authorities to immediately take all necessary measures to ensure their safety and security and to liberate them," ICC President Song Sang-hyun said.

Both the ICC and Libya want to put Saif al-Islam Gaddafi on trial for crimes under the former regime

Members of the brigade holding Saif al-Islam say the ICC team were carrying documents including a letter from a former confidante of his who is now in Egypt.

The letter contained drawings and symbols, a "code" that would only be understood by the sender and by Saif al-Islam himself, Ahmed al-Jehani, Libya's envoy to the ICC, told AFP news agency.

Saif al-Islam, who was captured last November by militiamen as he tried to flee the country, has been indicted by the ICC for crimes against humanity.

Libya's interim government has so far refused to hand him over for trial in the Netherlands - the seat of the ICC. Libya has insisted he should be tried by a Libyan court.

The stalemate appears to be getting more complicated by the minute for The Hague, our correspondent says.

Public opinion in Libya has been very critical of the ICC and this latest incident involving their staff, she adds.