7 Years after his Murder, Fate of Gaddafi’s Family Remains a Mystery

A recent court order banning Hannibal, son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, from leaving Lebanon for a year, brought back the discussion of the “mysterious fate” of Gaddafi’s family.

Some want Hannibal released from prison, stressing that he should not be punished for his father’s crimes, while others demanded Libyan authorities intervene in this case and reveal the truth to the people.

Three of Gaddafi's nine children were killed during the "revolution" by the "rebels," including Muotasim Bellah, who served as national security adviser to the country. The remaining six survived but are in different countries: al-Saadi imprisoned in Tripoli, Hannibal detained in Lebanon, and Saif al-Islam whose whereabouts are not known. In addition, Gaddafi's wife, Safia Farkash, left for Algeria with her daughter Aisha, whereas, Mohammed, Gaddafi’s eldest son from his first wife Fathia, moved to Oman. Reports indicated that Hana, their adopted sister, most likely died during the US bombing of Tripoli in 1986, and was only 4-years-old back then.

A Lebanese judge has banned Hannibal, Gaddafi’s fifth son, from leaving Lebanon for a year after a case was filed in which a Lebanese citizen, Hussein Hbeish, accused him of "forming a terrorist organization, kidnapping and attempted murder”, Lebanon’s The Daily Star reported Monday.

The newspaper said that Judge Rita Ghantous decided on July 12 to prevent Hannibal from leaving Lebanon for a year, and sent a memorandum to General Security to implement the decision.

In his lawsuit, Hbeish indicated that during a visit to Libya in 2016, he was kidnapped by an armed group loyal to Hannibal. The group demanded the Lebanese government release Gaddafi's son in exchange for setting Hbeish free.

Hannibal is also serving a one and a half year sentence for insulting the Lebanese judiciary. In December 2015, Lebanese authorities detained him as part of an investigation into the disappearance of Imam Musa al-Sadr and two of his companions after a visit to Libya at the invitation of Muammar Gaddafi in 1978.

Member of Libya’s House of Representatives Mohammed al-Abani expressed his "respect" to the Lebanese judiciary, but said that blaming Hannibal for his father’s mistakes is “unjust and very arbitrary.”

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Abani wondered how a person can be punished for the crime of a political system. He pointed out that at the time of the crime, Hannibal was just a child.

As for al-Saadi, Gaddafi's family was informed by its lawyer that al-Saadi, who had been imprisoned in al-Hadabah since Niger handed him over in March 2014, has disappeared.

Yet, Sadiq al-Sour, head of investigations at the prosecutor's office, explained that al-Saadi did not leave the prison. On April 3, al-Saadi’s lawyer, Mubaraka al-Tawergi, said that the court had cleared al-Saadi of charges related to the murder of the former al-Ittihad player and coach Bashir al-Riyani.

Al-Saadi is still in prison even though the court had issued its verdict three months ago. Judicial sources say he is on trial for other misdemeanours like kidnapping, and financing armed groups.

Many Libyans are divided about the future of Gaddafi's sons and their presence inside the country, according to a political source from Tripoli.

“There are tribes and parties who do not mind their return and rather welcome their integration into the political system,” the source added.

The source, who declined to be named, told Asharq Al-Awsat that some politicians do not want Gaddafi's sons, especially Saif al-Islam, in Libya’s political life.

He spoke about "an uncertain future for the family itself amid Saif al-Islam’s disappearance” who is wanted internationally, his sister’s Aisha’s residence outside the country, and al-Saadi's imprisonment.

Khamis, Gaddafi's seventh son, worked in the United States when the Libyan "revolution" erupted, but returned to Libya and was killed in August 2011. Also, Saif al-Arab, Gaddafi's sixth son, was killed after returning from Munich on April 30, 2011.

Saif al-Islam had not been seen since Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Brigade, in control of al-Zintan town, released him on June 11, 2017. The brigade said at the time that it released the man at the request of the interim government.

However, some people who claim to be close to him, have maintained his presence in the political scene by speaking on his behalf or issuing statements attributed to him, saying that he intends to run for the upcoming presidential elections, before others denied such statements altogether.

Saif al-Islam is wanted by Libyan judicial authorities after he was sentenced to death in absentia in 2015 for his role in the "suppression of the 2011 revolution”. In addition, the International Criminal Court also requested Saif al-Islam be tried for crimes against humanity during his father's presidency.

Libyan politician Suleiman al-Bayoudi expressed regret for "the absence of any role for the Libyan government in the arrest of Hannibal in Lebanon and its circumstances."

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Bayoudi called on the Libyan authorities to clarify to Libyans about the Hannibal case, and “have a legal and diplomatic role to defend any Libyan citizen."

As for Aisha, she has been put on the EU list of Libyan personnel whose bank accounts had been frozen and are banned from travelling.

The European Union’s General Court lifted the sanctions on Aisha in March last year and a travel ban on her mother Safia was also lifted.

Dr. Annette Weber, European Union Special Envoy to the Horn of Africa, said that 24 percent of the population in Sudan has entered the stage of famine, warning that the country will slide into a Syrian or Somali scenario if talks are not resumed.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Weber revealed that the European Union is currently preparing a new set of sanctions against individuals, after it had imposed sanctions on some parties to the conflict last year.
The EU envoy stressed that the Jeddah Platform for the Sudanese talks is the main platform for all ongoing efforts, calling for the immediate resumption of these meetings.
She said that returning to the Jeddah talks between the Sudanese parties is more urgent now than ever before, and that if talks are not launched as quickly as possible, “I think we will not get anywhere. I am less optimistic,” she said.
According to the Declaration of Principles in Paris – Weber said - any expansion of efforts, whether from the United States, the African Union, or from neighbors such as Egypt or the UAE, “must take place in Jeddah [...].”
Weber warned that Sudan “may slide into scenarios of civil war in Syria... or Somalia in 1991.”
She added that if no agreement is reached soon, the country could be dragged into civil war, noting that “the entire region will suffer.”
The EU special representative spoke of a “new package” of sanctions that will affect individuals during the coming period as a result of the ongoing violations and war crimes.
In this regard, she said that the first set of sanctions last year were against some parties that finance the war in Sudan and contribute to its prolongation, “the second package we are working on now will affect individuals.”
Weber acknowledged the presence of external parties that support the continuation of the war in Sudan.
She told Asharq Al-Awsat that “as in every war, there are external parties... A large number of parties provide support. I don’t want to talk in detail about who provides what kind of weapons, but there are different parties that support both sides...”
The EU diplomat explained that the European Union is focused on addressing the man-made humanitarian crisis, as she put it.
She added: “This is a man-made disaster. There are two leaders who launched a war against the people. This is our first concern, and we are trying to provide 3 billion euros in support. We are also trying to unite civilians and prepare them to enter the civil transition phase. After the ceasefire, there must be a civilian government.”
The European envoy to the Horn of Africa expressed her hope that the various meetings of the Sudanese parties would succeed in holding dialogue and ending the war.
Commenting on some accusations by Sudanese parties that the EU is taking a biased stance in the crisis, she said: “We need to protect the Sudanese people”, assuring that the EU does not stand with any of the parties. “We would like to support Sudan and the civilian transitional government.”

7 Years after his Murder, Fate of Gaddafi’s Family Remains a Mystery