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Libyan prime minister Ali Zeidan freed following 'kidnap' Libyan prime minister Ali Zeidan freed following 'kidnap'
(about 1 hour later)
The Libyan prime minister, Ali Zeidan, has been freed following his kidnapping in the early hours of Thursday morning from the hotel in Tripoli where he lives. The Libyan prime minister, Ali Zeidan, has returned under armed escort to the Tripoli hotel from where he was seized in the early hours of Thursday morning, according to hotel management and police outside the hotel.
Hashim Bishar, head of the Tripoli supreme security committee, the government's gendarmerie, said units of "revolutionaries" from the eastern Tripoli suburb of Suq Juma went to the place where he was being detained, released him, and are keeping him in the house of one of the fighters in the district for his own safety. Zeidan was taken at 4am from his room by armed men who escorted him from the Corinthia hotel and briefly held him captive.
"Zeidan is well, he is at the home of one of our revolutionaries, he is being kept safe," he said, speaking live on a Libyan television station. "Our revolutionaries went to the place where he was being detained and demanded he be handed over. He was handed over, now he is safe." "He is inside, you can't come in," a member of Zeidan's bodyguard in flip-flops, jeans and a teeshirt with a Kalashnikov machine gun slung over his back told the Guardian.
He did not say who had kidnapped Zeidan, seized from his hotel room in the city centre Corinthian hotel at 4am on Thursday morning. Management and security units refused to let reporters and TV crews enter the hotel. "You have to leave, you cannot stay here," the bodyguard said.
The abduction comes amid anger among Libya's powerful Islamic militant groups over the US special forces raid on Saturday that seized Libyan al-Qaida suspect known as Abu Anas al-Libi. Militia units who had taken charge of security outside the hotel after police fled in the morning have themselves withdrawn, and police units in red and white jeeps are again deployed around the entrance.
The situation at the hotel is tense with dozens of armed men from police, army and pro-Zeidan militias clustered at the entrance with machine guns and rocket launchers. Inside, guests could be seen standing around the lobby looking out as security forces deployed outside.
Condemnations of the prime minister's kidnapping have come from the UK foreign minister, William Hague, and the United Nations support mission in Libya, and it was also condemned by the Muslim Brotherhood's Justice and Construction Party.
It is still unclear who kidnapped Zeidan, with Hashim Bishar, head of the Tripoli Supreme Security Committee, the government's gendarmerie, claiming he was captured by an unidentified group and then released from his detention by Tripoli militias.
"Our revolutionaries went to the place where he was being detained and demanded he be handed over. He was handed over, now he is safe," he told a Libyan TV station. He did not say who had kidnapped Zeidan from the Corinthia.
The abduction came amid anger among Libya's powerful Islamic militant groups over the US special forces raid on Saturday that seized Libyan al-Qaida suspect known as Abu Anas al-Libi.
Several groups and Libi's family members have accused the government of complicity in the raid, though Zeidan has denied all knowledge of the operation.Several groups and Libi's family members have accused the government of complicity in the raid, though Zeidan has denied all knowledge of the operation.
State news service Lana had earlier said that Zeidan was captured by the Revolutionary Operations Room of Libya, a government security force composed of former rebels, reporting that a statement from the group said he would be charged under the Libyan penal code with endangering state security. The group denied any involvement in the operation.State news service Lana had earlier said that Zeidan was captured by the Revolutionary Operations Room of Libya, a government security force composed of former rebels, reporting that a statement from the group said he would be charged under the Libyan penal code with endangering state security. The group denied any involvement in the operation.
The British embassy closed its office in Tripoli on Thursday without explanation.The British embassy closed its office in Tripoli on Thursday without explanation.
The Libyan government has denied Zeidan faced an arrest warrant. "The head of the transitional government, Ali Zeidan, was taken to an unknown destination for unknown reasons," it said on its website, attributing the kidnapping to former rebels.The Libyan government has denied Zeidan faced an arrest warrant. "The head of the transitional government, Ali Zeidan, was taken to an unknown destination for unknown reasons," it said on its website, attributing the kidnapping to former rebels.
Militia guards outside the hotel said Zeidan was "arrested" and that they were local volunteers who had arrived to protect the hotel after police units left. Eyewitnesses said Zeidan was taken from his room by armed men, with his bodyguards and hotel security units taking no action as he was escorted from the hotel.Militia guards outside the hotel said Zeidan was "arrested" and that they were local volunteers who had arrived to protect the hotel after police units left. Eyewitnesses said Zeidan was taken from his room by armed men, with his bodyguards and hotel security units taking no action as he was escorted from the hotel.
The Corinthian is seen by foreigners as a safe haven in a city prone to kidnappings. Qatar is among a clutch of embassies which have moved there and the European Union support mission is based at the hotel. The Corinthia is seen by foreigners as a safe haven in a city prone to kidnappings. Qatar is among a clutch of embassies which have moved there and the European Union support mission is based at the hotel.
The normal police guard in red and white jeeps had vanished from the hotel this morning, replaced by armed men who claimed they were "revolutionaries" and had come to the hotel to help secure it.The normal police guard in red and white jeeps had vanished from the hotel this morning, replaced by armed men who claimed they were "revolutionaries" and had come to the hotel to help secure it.
But otherwise it was business-as-usual in the seafront hotel, one of the two hotels around which western business people and diplomats cluster. Diplomatic vehicles were arriving and leaving and guests were meeting in the coffee bar and foyer.But otherwise it was business-as-usual in the seafront hotel, one of the two hotels around which western business people and diplomats cluster. Diplomatic vehicles were arriving and leaving and guests were meeting in the coffee bar and foyer.
In August, an escort car of the EU ambassador came under fire at the Corinthia's front gate and in June a rocket was fired at the hotel, missing and striking a nearby building.In August, an escort car of the EU ambassador came under fire at the Corinthia's front gate and in June a rocket was fired at the hotel, missing and striking a nearby building.
Hours before the kidnapping, Zeidan met family members of Libi.Hours before the kidnapping, Zeidan met family members of Libi.
Both Libya's main parties, the Muslim Brotherhood's Justice and Construction Party and the centre-right National Forces Alliance have condemned the US operation that captured al-Libi.Both Libya's main parties, the Muslim Brotherhood's Justice and Construction Party and the centre-right National Forces Alliance have condemned the US operation that captured al-Libi.
On Monday, soldiers complaining that they had not been paid occupied Zeidan's Tripoli office.On Monday, soldiers complaining that they had not been paid occupied Zeidan's Tripoli office.
Most of Libya's oil production has been at a standstill since July, with striking troops in the east and tribal militias blockading ports and oilfields claiming oil revenues are being misspent.Most of Libya's oil production has been at a standstill since July, with striking troops in the east and tribal militias blockading ports and oilfields claiming oil revenues are being misspent.
The Justice and Construction party has led efforts in the general national congress to have Zeidan dismissed, accusing him of failing to tackle militia violence, the oil strikes and a moribund economy.The Justice and Construction party has led efforts in the general national congress to have Zeidan dismissed, accusing him of failing to tackle militia violence, the oil strikes and a moribund economy.
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