Libya is vying with France and the Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC) to try Gaddafi's former right-hand man, arrested on Friday when he flew in to the Mauritanian capital Nouakchott using a false passport.
Mauritanian sources played down Libyan suggestions that a deal to extradite Senussi was almost finalized and said other countries also had a say in the case.
"We have an assurance from Mauritania that it will extradite ... Senussi, but there are legal procedures which must be respected and we will wait," Libyan government spokesman Nasser al-Manee told reporters before boarding the plane.
"No date has been set for his physical extradition, but it will be soon," he added. A diplomatic source said the plane later took off as scheduled.
Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagour, leading the delegation, said after talks with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on Tuesday that Aziz had given his consent to Senussi's extradition, adding he would "soon be in a Libyan prison."
The former intelligence chief is accused of attacking civilians during the uprising in Libya last year and of the 1989 bombing of a French airliner. He was considered Qaddafi's "black box" and known to be among his inner circle of confidants. He was also the ousted leader's brother-in-law.
Al-Senoussi was detained Saturday in Mauritania.
The International Criminal Court, France and Libya have all said they want to prosecute al-Senoussi.
He is wanted in Libya for a number of crimes, including his alleged role in the Abu Salim prison massacre of more than 1,200 prisoners by Qaddafi's regime in 1996.
Judges at the Netherlands-based ICC issued an arrest warrant for al-Senoussi last June on two counts of crimes against humanity -- murder and persecution -- for allegedly masterminding attacks on civilians in the early days of the uprising that eventually toppled Qaddafi from power.
Mauritania is not a member of the court.
The court also indicted Qaddafi but the ousted leader was killed by rebel fighters in October. Libyan authorities say they want to put Seif al-Islam, one of Gadhafi's sons, on trial at home instead of turning him over him to the court.
Mauritanian sources played down Libyan suggestions that a deal to extradite Senussi was almost finalized and said other countries also had a say in the case.
"We have an assurance from Mauritania that it will extradite ... Senussi, but there are legal procedures which must be respected and we will wait," Libyan government spokesman Nasser al-Manee told reporters before boarding the plane.
"No date has been set for his physical extradition, but it will be soon," he added. A diplomatic source said the plane later took off as scheduled.
Libyan Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abu Shagour, leading the delegation, said after talks with Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz on Tuesday that Aziz had given his consent to Senussi's extradition, adding he would "soon be in a Libyan prison."
The former intelligence chief is accused of attacking civilians during the uprising in Libya last year and of the 1989 bombing of a French airliner. He was considered Qaddafi's "black box" and known to be among his inner circle of confidants. He was also the ousted leader's brother-in-law.
Al-Senoussi was detained Saturday in Mauritania.
The International Criminal Court, France and Libya have all said they want to prosecute al-Senoussi.
He is wanted in Libya for a number of crimes, including his alleged role in the Abu Salim prison massacre of more than 1,200 prisoners by Qaddafi's regime in 1996.
Judges at the Netherlands-based ICC issued an arrest warrant for al-Senoussi last June on two counts of crimes against humanity -- murder and persecution -- for allegedly masterminding attacks on civilians in the early days of the uprising that eventually toppled Qaddafi from power.
Mauritania is not a member of the court.
The court also indicted Qaddafi but the ousted leader was killed by rebel fighters in October. Libyan authorities say they want to put Seif al-Islam, one of Gadhafi's sons, on trial at home instead of turning him over him to the court.
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