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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 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. 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, following a brief but dramatic kidnapping.
Zeidan was taken at 4am from his room by armed men who escorted him from the Corinthia hotel and briefly held him captive. Zeidan was taken at 4am from his room by armed men who escorted him from the Corinthia hotel and held captive.
"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. Libyan television showed him at around 1.30pm local time (12.30pm BST) returning to his Tripoli office wearing a business suit and flanked by dozens of soldiers in red berets. He was cheered by his staff as he went inside and did not stop to talk to journalists.
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. Militia units who had taken charge of security outside the hotel after police fled in the morning withdrew following Zeidan's return and police units in red and white jeeps were again deployed around the entrance.
Militia units who had taken charge of security outside the hotel after police fled in the morning have themselves withdrawn, and police units in red and white jeeps are again deployed around the entrance.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 was 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.
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.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.
Human Rights Watch said it was "deeply troubled" by Zeidan's detention by "armed forces apparently aligned with the state."
It said in a statement: "His brief detention clearly violated Libyan law. The incident highlights the grave security conditions in Libya today. Hopefully it will refocus attention on the urgent need to strengthen both the country's security forces and its judicial systems."
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.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."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.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 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 whille the interim prime minister was held captive, 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.
Hassan El Amin, a former dissident who chaired Libya's congressional human rights commission until he fled to the UK last year after militia death threats, condemned claims by Zeidan's kidnappers that they were revolutionries.
"There are no revolutionaries now, the people who did this are froukk (immature)," he said. "They have betrayed the martyrs and they have betrayed everything that the February 17 revolution [2011 Arab Spring] stands for."
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 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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