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Email leak suggests Angelina Jolie was part of plot to capture African warlord

War criminal hunter? Angelina Jolie.

War criminal hunter? Angelina Jolie. Photo: Getty

The Sunday Times claims to have obtained emails leaked from within the International Criminal Court alleging that Hollywood star Angelina Jolie volunteered to lure African warlord Joseph Kony into a trap.

The Times reported that it has seen emails sent by former ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo in which he writes that Jolie “has the idea to invite Kony to dinner and then arrest him”. Brad Pitt was also reportedly considered for the scheme.

The ICC is a criminal court based in The Hague in the Netherlands that attempts to apply international criminal law to bring war criminals and mass murderers to justice. It operates under an international treaty called the ‘Rome Statute’.

A series of embarrassing stories about Mr Ocampo published in recent days are allegedly based on a trove of 40,000 emails leaked to the European Investigative Collaborations, an investigative journalism outfit, which then verified and shared the emails with 11 news outlets, including The Times.

Ugandan rebel leader Joseh Kony

Warlord: Joseph Kony. Photo: Getty

Mr Ocampo has claimed the leaks were the result of a cyber attack designed to thwart his current investigation into a certain government’s links to terrorism.

Last month it was reported that he had offshore companies and bank accounts in the tax haven of Panama.

According to the most recent report in The Times, Mr Ocampo also tried to recruit George Clooney and Sean Penn to catch international criminals.

The Times reported that Mr Ocampo wrote in one email: “She [Jolie] loves to arrest Kony. She is ready. Probably Brad will go also.”

Jolie allegedly replied: “Brad is being supportive. Let’s discuss logistics. Much love Xxx.”

The warlord Joseph Kony rose to global prominence in 2012 when a documentary of his crimes went viral on the internet. Over decades, he has allegedly kidnapped thousands of young boys for use in his bloody civil war in Uganda.

The ICC has issued an official statement denying any knowledge of how the leaked emails were obtained.

“The unfortunate allegations of concern here will not distract my office from striving to create a more just world in accordance with the Rome Statute,” current chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said.

“I will do all within my power, independently, impartially and objectively, to seek the justice we all yearn for, with dedication and integrity.”

Mr Ocampo, an Argentinian, served as the ICC’s very first chief prosecutor between 2003 and 2011.

Some critics accused him of selective justice, as nine of his 10 investigations were in Africa.

Perhaps in response to this criticism, an African, Ms Bensouda, who served as Mr Ocampo’s deputy, was chosen to succeed him.

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