CANBERRA, JUNE 14 (AP/UNB) - NATO's boss has joined calls for Libyan authorities to release four International Criminal Court officials who have been detained amid a conflict over who should try deposed leader Moammar Gadhafi's son for crimes against his people.

The Netherlands-based court wants to put Seif al-Islam Gadhafi on trial, but Libya's new government wants to prosecute him at home. An ICC team has been detained in Libya since the weekend accused of passing documents and trying to smuggle devices to Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, who is held by a militia.

NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said Thursday during a visit to Australia that he "strongly regrets" the detention, and hopes the team will be released "as soon as possible." The ICC says the detention is illegal.