Libya frees detained ICC staff after apology.

2012-07-02 22

Libya frees four officials from the International Criminal Court Monday.

Their detention, since early June on spying allegations, had plunged the interim government into its biggest diplomatic controversy since last year's revolution.

Australian lawyer Melinda Taylor and Lebanese-born interpreter Helene Assaf were held in the town of Zintan. They were accused of smuggling documents and hidden recording devices to Muammar Gaddafi's captured son, Saif al-Islam. Two male ICC staff members who they were traveling with, stayed with them.

The four were freed Monday after an apology from the ICC.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters