Libya’s National Transitional Council has claimed to be close to a deal with the Mauritanian government to extradite Libya’s former intelligence chief Abdullah al-Senussi.
Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur announced on Twitter that "We have agreement from Mauritania to deliver Senussi to Libya where he will receive a fair trial. No date has been decided, but it will be very soon."
However sources Nouakchott soon denied the claims.
"We agreed to study their request favourably. It's almost a done deal but one should be careful. The French are applying lots of pressure," a security source in Mauritania told the Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity on Tuesday evening.
France is seeking al-Senussi’s extradition as he is wanted over an attack on a French plane in 1989 which killed 170 civilians.
The International Criminal Court is also seeking to prosecute al-Senussi for crimes against humanity and war crimes, committed during Colonel Gaddafi’s reign.