Lawyer who sought arrest warrant for Israeli PM outraged Biden

Karim Khan has been a hugely controversial figure since becoming the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor of war crimes three years ago.

His decision to seek an arrest warrant against Israel's PM Benjamin Netanyahu was the first time an ICC prosecutor had targeted a leader of a close Western ally, outraging President Joe Biden.

He acted amid claims by the Guardian that Israeli spies from Mossad have been running a secret 'war' against the court for nine years. 

The newspaper claimed Mossad intercepted emails, attachments and text messages from Mr Khan and other officials in his office.

An Israeli military spokesman denied the allegation. 

But last night Mr Khan said he and the court are subject to 'a wide range of attacks and threats', adding: 'In recent months my family including my wife and child have also been targeted.'

Born in Edinburgh to a British mother and Pakistani father, he grew up in Yorkshire where his father worked as a consultant dermatologist.

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He attended Silcoates School in West Yorkshire where fees are up to £19,600 a year.

After reading law at King's College London, he became a barrister and worked for the Crown Prosecution Service for two years before moving into international law.

Though backed for the ICC prosecutor's job by the UK, his suitability was questioned, given he defended Charles Taylor, the former Liberian president who was convicted of war crimes at a special court for Sierra Leone. 

He also represented William Ruto, now president of Kenya, who was accused of orchestrating violence that killed 1,300 people. The case was abandoned.

The warrants against Mr Netanyahu and his defence minister Yoav Gallant are subject to approval by the ICC's judges.

If they are issued, all of the 124 countries that have signed up to the treaty that established the court, including Britain, would be duty-bound to arrest Mr Netanyahu if he steps on their soil. The US is not a signatory.