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Qaddafi’s Son Hannibal Is Said to Be Abducted in Lebanon Qaddafi’s Son Hannibal Is Said to Be Abducted in Lebanon
(about 2 hours later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Lebanese news services reported on Friday that the youngest son of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the onetime leader of Libya killed in the uprising four years ago, had been abducted in Lebanon by militants apparently seeking to avenge a prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric who disappeared in Libya in the 1970s. BEIRUT, Lebanon — The youngest son of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, the Libyan leader deposed and killed four years ago, was abducted in Lebanon and then handed over to security forces by militants seeking to avenge a prominent Lebanese Shiite cleric who disappeared in Libya in the 1970s, the state-run National News Agency said on Friday.
The National News Agency said the son, Hannibal Qaddafi, 40, who is married to a Lebanese model, was seized in the eastern Bekaa Valley region on Thursday by kidnappers who wanted information about the missing cleric, Moussa al-Sadr. Television stations in Lebanon broadcast a video of Hannibal Qaddafi, who appeared to have been beaten, conveying the request of his abductors. The agency said the son, Hannibal Qaddafi, 40, who is married to a Lebanese model, had been seized in the eastern Bekaa Valley region on Thursday by kidnappers who wanted information about the missing cleric, Moussa al-Sadr. The agency later said that he had been transferred on Friday to the custody of the intelligence branch of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces, in the Bekaa Valley city of Baalbek. It was not immediately clear whether the security forces would hold or release him.
Their identity was unclear. But Mr. Qaddafi said in the video that his abductors were loyalists of Imam Moussa al-Sadr, one of the most important Shiite clerical figures in the Middle East, who vanished in 1978 during a visit to Libya at the invitation of Mr. Qaddafi’s father. Television stations in Lebanon earlier broadcast a video of Mr. Qaddafi, who appeared to have been beaten, conveying the request of his abductors.
“Any person who is worried about my life or my health, I am in a good health, I am speaking comfortably, I am sitting with the group who has a cause and loyal to their cause and we should respect them for their loyalty,” Mr. Qaddafi said. Their identity was unclear. But Mr. Qaddafi said in the video that they were followers of Moussa al-Sadr, an important Shiite cleric. He vanished in 1978 during a visit to Libya at the invitation of Mr. Qaddafi’s father.
There was no immediate explanation for why Mr. Qaddafi was in Lebanon nor why the kidnappers had chosen this moment to take action on a grievance they have harbored for nearly four decades. “I am speaking comfortably, I am sitting with the group who has a cause and loyal to their cause and we should respect them for their loyalty,” Mr. Qaddafi said.
. Early Saturday, the National News Agency reported that Mr. Qaddafi had been handed over to internal security forces in Lebanon. It was unclear, however, whether they intended to detain him. There was no immediate explanation for why Mr. Qaddafi was in Lebanon nor why the abductors had chosen this moment to take action on a grievance they have harbored for so long.
Jamal Zubia, a spokesman for the Libyan government in Tripoli, would not say whether the authorities there wanted him extradited. Jamal Zubia, a spokesman for the Libyan government in Tripoli, would not say whether the authorities there wanted Mr. Qaddafi extradited.
Mr. Qaddafi is one of at least eight children fathered by Colonel Qaddafi, the mercurial autocrat who was ousted in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that convulsed Libya and has since ushered in more volatility and violence there. Mr. Qaddafi is one of at least eight children of Colonel Qaddafi, the mercurial autocrat ousted in the 2011 Arab Spring uprising that convulsed Libya and has since ushered in more volatility and violence.
At least three of Colonel Qaddafi’s other sons are believed to have been killed in 2011, while another, Seif al-Islam Qaddafi, has been held in the custody of Libyan militants for trial ever since. He was sentenced by a Libyan court in July, but the verdict is subject to appeal. Three of Colonel Qaddafi’s sons are believed to have been killed in 2011, while another, Seif al-Islam Qaddafi, has been held in the custody of Libyan militants. He was sentenced by a Libyan court in July, but the verdict is subject to appeal.
Hannibal Qaddafi was believed to be among the Qaddafi family members who escaped to Algeria in a convoy in the waning months of Colonel Qaddafi’s rule. Hannibal Qaddafi was among the Qaddafi family members who escaped to Algeria in the waning months of Colonel Qaddafi’s rule.
All were known for luxurious lives of privilege, but Hannibal was considered especially flamboyant. He was once detained on suspicion of drunken driving on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, but was released because he had diplomatic immunity.All were known for luxurious lives of privilege, but Hannibal was considered especially flamboyant. He was once detained on suspicion of drunken driving on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, but was released because he had diplomatic immunity.
He also was known for leaving a trail of unpaid bills in some of Europe’s best hotels. In 2008, he and his wife, the model Aline Skaf, were arrested in Switzerland over accusations that they assaulted two staff members in a Swiss hotel. His father retaliated by imprisoning two Swiss businessmen, causing a diplomatic uproar with Switzerland. He also was known for leaving unpaid bills in some of Europe’s best hotels. In 2008, he and his wife, the model Aline Skaf, were arrested in Switzerland over accusations that they assaulted two hotel staff members. His father retaliated by imprisoning two Swiss businessmen, causing a diplomatic uproar.
Mr. Sadr helped craft the modern Lebanese Shiite identity, founding the Movement of the Deprived, a group that represented poor Shiites. He also started a military wing, Amal, Arabic for “hope,” which evolved into today’s powerful Amal party.
Libya has long said that Mr. Sadr boarded a plane to Rome, and suggested he was killed in an internal Shiite squabble. Many of Mr. Sadr’s followers suspect he was murdered in Libya.