Gaddafi's ex-spy chief said to be ill

Nouakchott Muammar Gaddafi's intelligence chief Abdullah Al Sanussi, who was arrested in Mauritania last month and is sought by Libya, France and the International Criminal Court (ICC), is ill, Mauritanian President Mohammad Ould Abdul Aziz said on Sunday.

Libyan authorities are seeking the extradition of Gaddafi's former right-hand man, vying with Paris and the Hague-based ICC which also have legal cases against him.

Abdul Aziz said in an interview with the French TV5 station that Al Sanussi, 62, already had health problems when he flew into Mauritania's capital Nouakchott in March using a false passport.

"His situation is stationary, it's not worrying," the Mauritanian president said. "We've had him examined by doctors, as soon as the justice system has finished with him, we'll take a decision," he added.

He did not say what ailment Al Sanussi was suffering from, but sources said he was believed to have cancer.

In March, a senior Libyan government official said after talks with Mauritania's Abdul Aziz that the latter had given his consent for Al Sanussi's extradition to Libya. But Mauritanian officials have denied any such commitment was given.

"His case is being studied. We have a number of questions to put to him and we haven't finished with him yet. We haven't taken our decision yet," Abdul Aziz told TV5.

Al Sanussi is suspected of playing a central role in the killing of more than 1,200 inmates at Tripoli's Abu Salim prison in 1996.