ICC turns a 'blind eye' to western crimes: Mugabe

UNITED NATIONS: Zimbabwe's outspoken leader Robert Mugabe accused the International Criminal Court on Thursday of turning a "blind eye" to crimes by Western leaders.

Mugabe, 87, told the UN General Assembly that the ICC has no credibility in Africa.

The court "seems to exist only for alleged offenders of the developing world, the majority of them Africans," he said.

"The leaders of the powerful western states guilty of international crime, like Bush and Blair, are routinely given the blind eye. Such selective justice has eroded the credibility of the ICC on the African continent."

George W. Bush, the former US president, and ex-British prime minister Tony Blair have faced criticism from activists for their role as architects of the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

The ICC has issued charges against Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir for genocide in Darfur. Libya's former strongman Moamer Kadhafi is also wanted by the ICC. African countries regularly criticize the focus on their continent.

Mugabe also blasted the NATO air raids in Libya, justified by UN resolutions on protecting civilians after Kadhafi's crackdown on protests.

"Yesterday, it was Iraq and Bush and Blair were the liars and aggressors as they made unfounded allegations of possession of weapons of mass destruction," the Zimbabwean leader said.

"This time it is the NATO countries (that are) the liars and aggressors as they make similarly unfounded allegations of destruction of civilian lives by Kadhafi."

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011