Court Issues Warrant for Gadhafi on War Crimes

The International Criminal Court has accused Moammar Gadhafi of crimes against humanity and has issued arrest warrants for him and two of his top aides. The ICC presiding judge says there are "reasonable grounds to believe" that Gadhafi and son Saif al-Islam are "criminally responsible as indirect co-perpetrators" for persecuting and killing Libyan civilians. A warrant was also issued for intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi, the BBC reports. The chief ICC prosecutor requested the warrants in May.

Libyan authorities, however, have stated in the past that they do not recognize the court; on Sunday, a government spokesperson said it has "no legitimacy whatsoever." Meanwhile, Libyan rebels have advanced to within 50 miles of Tripoli, which Reuters calls "their biggest breakthrough in weeks." At least two loud explosions have also been heard in Tripoli, and smoke was seen rising from the direction of Gadhafi's compound. (More Saif al-Islam Gadhafi stories.)