No Result
View All Result
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

Arrest

byMichel Cousins
November 27, 2011
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
Bengahzi: The arrest of Saif al Islam in Uberi in southern Libya was greeted in with jubilation in . . .[restrict]this city where the Libyan revolution started nine months ago. Cars basted away on their horns, people waved flags in the streets and out of windows and the noise machine gun fire was incessant.The speed at which the news spread was amazing. The Arab News reporter and driver were in the offices of the WFP in downtown Benghazi talking to a member of staff who was monitoring the news on Libya Today, a local Arabic-language news website. Suddenly up came the announcement of the arrest by members of the brigade from Zintan in the Nafusa mountains. We checked other Libyan websites. They were reporting the same story. Then, within what seemed less than a minute hundreds of cars in the street outside started blasting their horns. Guns were being fired all over the place. It was amazing that the news spread so fast was given that the text messaging on the mobile phone network since February. The news was spread by phone. It seemed that everyone was trying to tell everyone else, so much so that almost immediately the network became overloaded. It was impossible to call anyone.

The city went‘ literally ballistic. The gunfire was deafening. Out in the streets, cars drove past with their occupants holding handguns out the windows and shooting into the air. An open truck with a rear-mounted machine gun sped past, with one militiaman waving flags while another fired the machine gun into the air.

Given earlier reports of Saif’s arrest that turned out to be untrue, some Libyans at first refused to belief the news, even after it was reported that Justice Minister Mohamed Alagy had confirmed it. “I’ll believe it only when I see the pictures,” said Abdurrahman Fawzi, a local businessman.

The evidence soon came with photos shown on TV of him holding up three bandaged fingers. “He’s had his fingers cut off”, said, Usama Shaikhi, a IT technician at Benghazi University. “Libyans demanded that his fingers be cut off ,” he explained, because Saif used to repeatedly stab his fingers in the air when speaking out against the revolution.

“At least he’s not dead,” said Awed Abeida, a university student, referring to the killing of his father and brother Mutassim after they were captured in Sirte by forces from Misrata on Oct. 20. “We need him alive to tells us the secrets of what he and his father did.”

For the rest of the day, people in Benghazi crowded around TV in cafes and hotels for the latest news.

RELATED POSTS

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

Nearly 1 million crimes reported to police stations – confirms urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies / militias

The brigade that arrested Saif say they plan to hold him in Zintan until there is a proper government in power that can take responsibility for him. A new government is due to be unveiled today, Sunday, by Libya’s Prime Minister Abdurrahim Al-Kib.

The arrest of Saif who had been groomed as Qaddafi’s successor and with his father had been indicted on war crimes charges by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague will put an end to fears of him ordering terror attacks while he remained free.

He was caught at Umari , on the road between the southern city of Sebha and Ghat on the Algerian border. It had been reported by the National Transitional Council that he was in the area. Three weeks ago, following the killing of his father and brother, it claimed that he was there, trying to negotiate a surrender to the ICC. He may have been getting support from family members in the area. It is where where Muammar Qaddafi was born and brought up. The story that he came from Sirte was a myth he concocted. The Qaddafi tribe is based around Sirte but Qaddafi’s family lived near Sebha and he went to school there.

The border with Niger where his brother Saadi is in exile is also reachable from Umari. However, there have been claims that Saif had visited Algeria, where his mother Safia is currently staying, as it his brother Hannibal along with his half brother Muhammed and his sister Aisha. His other brother Mutassim was killed by troops from Misrata after he was arrested in Sirte the same day as his father, Oct. 27. The whereabouts of his adopted sister, whose death in Sirte during Reagan bombing raid in 1986 turned out to have been a propaganda lie, are unknown. There is also mystery surrounding the fate of his brother Khamis. He was reported killed several times, but no evidence has been provided. If he is dead, then all the Qaddafi’s children other than the youngest, Milad, are now accounted for, although it is also suggested that the death of Saif Al-Arab in an NATO raid on April 30 was also a propaganda lie.

The whereabouts of Muammar Qaddafi’s brother-in-law and intelligence chief, Abdullah Senussi, also wanted by the ICC for human rights crimes, are unknown. Three weeks ago it was said he was with Saif. Seven others were arrested with Saif on Saturday, but he was not one of them.

[/restrict]

Related Posts

Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

June 17, 2025
Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

Nearly 1 million crimes reported to police stations – confirms urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies / militias

June 16, 2025
UNSMIL: Warring parties invited to begin negotiations on 29 September
Libya

Libyan Advisory Committee calls on Libyan stakeholders to work with UNSMIL to build unified, sovereign, and democratic Libya 

June 16, 2025
Presidency Council objects to holding of south reconciliation event in Italy
Libya

All recently clashing state and militia forces and their military vehicles will return to their barracks as of yesterday evening

June 12, 2025
Attorney General orders arrests at Jumhouria bank branch for embezzlement
Libya

Criminal proceedings initiated against 141 members of the Central Security Agency and Stability Support Apparatus, and security units associated with them

June 10, 2025
UNSMIL: Warring parties invited to begin negotiations on 29 September
Libya

UNSMIL condemns militia and government security forces clashes

June 10, 2025
Next Post

Pro-Gaddafi report resulted from privately-funded Canadian fact-finding mission

Libya displays Roman treasures looted by Gaddafi troops

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • Signboards for Benghazi’s new airport at Tika go up – UAE’s Global Builders/Terminals company to implement

    Construction work progressing at Benghazi’s new Tika airport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • All recently clashing state and militia forces and their military vehicles will return to their barracks as of yesterday evening

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Libya’s economic reality: limited resources, liquidity challenges, inflation, and need for monetary base restructuring – Husni Bey

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Aldabaiba stresses need to complete Airport Road works in full in conjunction with imminent opening of Tripoli International Airport

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Calm returns after overnight Tripoli militia clashes – Defence Ministry says it has enforced control, warns of readiness to take measures to ensure security

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

Nearly 1 million crimes reported to police stations – confirms urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies / militias

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.