Bush, Blair could face charges at International Criminal Court

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Bush, Blair could face the prospect of an International Criminal Court investigation./EFE

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Luis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said in an interview with the Sunday Telegraph that "he would be willing to launch an inquiry and could envisage a scenario in which the Prime Minister and American President George W Bush could one day face charges at The Hague."

He urged Arab countries, particularly Iraq, to sign up to the court to enable allegations against the West to be pursued. Iraq's ambassador to the United Nations said that his country was actively considering signing up.

Asked whether he could envisage a situation in which Mr Blair and Mr Bush found themselves in the dock answering charges of war crimes in Iraq, Luis Moreno-Ocampo replied: "Of course, that could be a possibility … whatever country joins the court can know that whoever commits a crime in their country could be prosecuted by me."

The U.S. refused to accept the court's jurisdiction and for years opposed the court and is unlikely to hand over any of its citizens to face trial.

Human rights lawyers remain sceptical about whether charges will ever be brought.

Some Muslim countries have criticized what they claim is the court's reluctance to address offenses committed by Western governments.