Ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's fugitive son Seif al-Islam has been arrested in the south of the country, a senior National Transitional Council official told AFP today.

Seif al-Islam, Muammar Gaddafi's heir apparent, is wanted by the International Criminal Court. He was "arrested in southern Libya," said NTC justice minister Mohammed al-Allagui, but he declined to give any details.

A picture of Seif on a bed, with bandaged fingers, was issued later.

The ICC issued warrants on June 27 against Seif al-Islam as well as his father and Abdullah al-Senussi, the late dictator's intelligence chief, on charges of crimes against humanity in crushing anti-regime protests.

Bashir al-Tlayeb of the Zintan brigades told a press conference that Seif al-Islam was captured with two aides trying to smuggle him out to neighbouring Niger.

The commander said that Gaddafi's son had been taken to the Libyan town of Zintann. He would not comment on where Seif al-Islam might be tried.

Celebrations have broken out in parts of Libya following the news.

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