NATO chief urges Libya to release Australian lawyer

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has joined Australia in calling on Libya to release lawyer Melinda Taylor. Ms Taylor, a lawyer with the International Criminal Court, was detained last week along with colleagues.

The Australian is accused of exchanging papers with Muammar Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, whom she is representing.

The papers allegedly included a coded message from his former right-hand man in the days of his father's regime, Mohammed Ismail.

Mr Rasmussen, in Canberra for talks with Prime Minister Julia Gillard and other key ministers, said today he regretted Ms Taylor's detention.

''I strongly regret that certain groups in Libya have arrested ... representatives of the ICC,'' he said. ''And I would urge them to release these individuals as soon as possible.''

Australia's ambassador-designate to Libya, David Ritchie, is lobbying for Ms Taylor's release. The Australian government, as well as Ms Taylor's parents, have been calling for the 36-year old lawyer to be set free.

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