UNITED NATIONS The U.N. Security Council Saturday unanimously imposed travel bans and asset freezes on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, members of his family and inner circle amid continuing attacks on anti-government protesters.

The council imposed an asset freeze on Gadhafi, his four sons and one daughter and a travel ban on the whole family along with 10 other close associates. The council also backed an arms embargo.

The resolution adopted by the 15-nation body also called for the immediate referral of the deadly crackdown on demonstrators in Libya to the International Criminal Court in The Hague for investigation and possible prosecution of anyone responsible for killing civilians.

The council said its actions were aimed at `deploring the gross and systematic violation of human rights, including the repression of peaceful demonstrators.` And members expressed concern about civilian deaths, `rejecting unequivocally the incitement to hostility and violence against the civilian population made from the highest level of the Libyan government.`

Libya`s deputy U.N. ambassador, Ibrahim Dabbashi one of the first Libyan diplomats to denounce Gadhafi and defect said Gadhafi`s government no longer has any credibility. `This resolution will be a signal in order to put an end to hisfascist regime which is still which is still in existence in Tripoli,` he said.

Dabbashi added: `This is a leader who loves nobody but himself and he is prepared to take all necessary steps in order to continue this repression against his own people.

`When atrocities are committed against innocents, the international community must act with one voice and tonight it has,` said Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the U.N.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated council members for the unified vote. Earlier in the day, it appeared some countries would not sign on because of concerns about the war crimes investigation.

`The text sends a strong message that gross violations of basic human rights will not be tolerated, and that those responsible for grave crimes will be held accountable,` said Ban. `I hope the message is heard, and heeded, by the regime in Libya.`

There have been reports that Gadhafi`s government forces have been firing indiscriminately on peaceful protesters and that as many as 1,000 people have died.

The day was consumed mainly with haggling behind closed doors over language that would refer Libya`s violent crackdown on protesters to the International Criminal Court, or ICC, at the Hague.

All 15 nations on the council ultimately approved referring the case to the permanent war crimes tribunal. `Gadhafi has lost the confidence of his people and he should go without further bloodshed and violence,` Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said. `The Libyan people deserve a government that is responsive to their aspirations and that protects their universally recognized human rights.`