Tripoli, 12 January 2013:
The Ministry of Defence has announced that it has appointed a temporary replacement of the head of the . . .[restrict]Libyan Air Force, General Adam Saqr Geroushi, who was disbarred by the Integrity Commission at the beginning of the month.
The announcement follows a move by the Commission to have its decisions enforced. Four days ago, the Commission sent a letter to the General National Congress’ Defence Committee, urging it to force the Defence Ministry to remove Geroushi. He is appealing the decision in court. The letter pointed out, however, that the Commission’s decisions must be implemented even while defendants are appealing them.
The replacement as head of the air force has not been named as yet, however. Colonel Adel Osman Barasi, the Ministry’s spokesman, was quoted by the Libyan news agency LANA as simply saying that the post would be held temporarily by the air force’s oldest officer. It is not known who he is or what rank he holds.
The replacement is expected to be very short term. Geroushi’s appeal is expected to be fast tracked and a decision quickly made one way or the other. [/restrict]
