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Gadhafi's Son And Former Heir Apparent Is Captured
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 19, 2011
Modified Nov 19, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Nov 19, 2011
Modified Nov 19, 2011
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Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son and former heir-apparent of murdered Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, was captured at a checkpoint in the desert near the town of Obari at around 1:30 a.m. He was later transported to the western mountain town on Zintan. According to Reuters, Gadhafi was afraid he'd be killed like his father. "At the beginning he was very scared. He thought we would kill him," one of his captors said. Asked by a reporter if he was physically okay, Gadhafi answered, "Yes." According to the Times, news of his capture caused massive celebrations in Tripoli.
Militia men received a tip about a "high-profile fugitive" in the area before they intercepted Gadhafi. Al-Jazeera reports that Gadhafi's thumb and hand were heavily bandaged, injuries he said came from the NATO airstrike last month that caused his father to hide in a drain, where he was found and later killed by his captors. Despite his role as the supposed gatekeeper to the vast fortune the family had amassed, the younger Gadhafi was found with just a few thousand dollars and a cache of rifles.
Calls from Libya's prime minister-designate to remand him into custody are being ignored by the Zintan militia that is currently holding Gadhafi, as they refuse to turn him over to authorities because there is still a lack of a central government. After the elder Gadhafi's murder last month, the Transitional National Council is eager to prove to the world that they can properly try the country's war criminals. "They may leave his fate to Zintanis but then where does that leave Libya's embryonic judicial system? This is an acid test of the NTC's authority," a professor at LSE says.
This being America, a former CIA agent, a lawyer and a GOP operative all tried to squeeze $10 million out of the Gadhafis as they were losing their power this spring, the Times reports. “The idea was to find them an Arabic-speaking sanctuary and let them keep some money, in return for getting out,” one of the principles for the scheme says, claiming that they were offering their "consulting services" to the Gadhafis and that Saif was among those who were interested.
When asked what the chances of Gadhafi getting a fair trial in an international criminal court are, the professor replied, "Almost zero."
Tagged
gadhafi
libya
moammer gadhafi
oil
war
war criminals
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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