Libya urges Niger to extradite Gaddafi son: report

By Taha Zargoun and Marie-Louise Gumuchian

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya has demanded that Niger extradite Muammar Gaddafi's son Saadi, warning that his call for Libyans to prepare for a "coming uprising" threatened ties between the two countries, Libyan News Agency LANA said on Saturday.

As Libyan rebels gained the upper hand over Gaddafi's regime last September, Saadi and a group of senior loyalists fled across the border to Niger, where they remain under house surveillance in the capital Niamey.

In a telephone call to Al Arabiya television late on Friday, Saadi said that he was in regular contact with people in Libya who were unhappy with the authorities put in place after the ousting and killing of his father.

LANA cited a telephone call between Niger's Foreign Minister Bazoum Mohamed and his Libyan counterpart Ashour Bin Hayal on Saturday, quoting the Libyan minister as expressing "strong resentment" towards Saadi's "aggressive statements."

"Mr Ashour Bin Hayal reiterated to the foreign minister of Niger that these statements threaten the bilateral relationship between the two countries and that the government of Niger should adopt strict measures against him (Saadi) including extraditing him to Libya to be prosecuted for the crimes he committed against the Libyan people," LANA said.

Niger has said Saadi would remain in the West African nation until a United Nations travel ban on him was lifted, despite Tripoli's request for his return.

Interpol last year issued a "red notice" requesting member states to arrest Saadi with a view to extradition if they find him on their territory.

"The foreign minister of Niger ... expressed his regret and apologies to the government and Libyan people for what has happened and confirmed that he will contact the Niger president who is on a foreign visit to France," LANA said.

"He wants to assure the Libyan side that the demands made forth will be responded to in accordance to the laws and approved customs. He added that the communication between the parties will be open in this regard," LANA added.

Libyan government officials were not immediately available for comment.

BAD FOR THE NEIGHBOURS

In an interview broadcast by France 24 on Saturday but recorded before Saadi's interview was aired, Niger President Mahamadou Issoufou stated that Niger had not received any formal extradition request from Tripoli but would study any future one.

"If we receive an official request we will study it. We are a state based on the rule of law. We will study that question according to our laws and our international commitments, because Niger signed the treaty that created the International Criminal Court," Issoufou told France 24.

"We took them in on humanitarian grounds ... and we were very clear with them at the time: we took them in on condition they do not carry out any subversive activities against the Libyan authorities."

The ICC in the Hague issued a warrant for Gaddafi's son Saif al-Islam - who is in a Libyan jail awaiting trial on rape and murder charges - but not for Saadi, who before the war was chiefly known abroad for his obsession with soccer.

The Libyan conflict has created new problems for the fragile region to its south. Heavily armed former fighters from Gaddafi's army have joined a new rebellion in northern Mali that has forced tens of thousands to flee from their homes.

As many as 200,000 migrant workers once employed in Libya have headed back into Niger, which along with the rest of the Sahel region is facing the latest of its recurrent food crises.

Aid agencies say their arrival has stretched scarce food resources even more thinly.

(Additional reporting by Mark John in Dakar; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian, Editing by Rosalind Russell)

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Libya, UK police allow Lockerbie checkpoint: Minister

By Adrian Croft

LONDON (Reuters) - said British police to investigate the Libyan Government Libya, the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and the unresolved 1984 killing of a police officer in London will go, a British Minister on Thursday.
Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt, who with Libyan Minister in Tripoli last week talks, said that the Libyan Government had fresh conduct permission for British police investigations in the two shadowy episodes occurred under the reign of late strongman Muammar al-Gaddafi.

"I have absolute confidence that the police of Dumfries and Galloway (in Scotland) and the Metropolitan Police (in London) go back to Libya to their studies once again going to get and they get a positive way of the Libyan authorities," Burt Reuters said in a telephone interview.

Burt, the Foreign Office said the Ministers responsible for North Africa and the Middle East, or no date had been set for a visit to the police, noting that the Libyan authorities had to deal with a lot of other problems in a turbulent post-Gaddafi transition.

But he said that in his talks with Libyan Interior Minister Fawzi Abd al am all and Foreign Minister Ashour Hayal, both had recognised the importance of the so-called "legacy" issues.

The bombing of a US airliner over Lockerbie in Scotland include the killing of policewoman Yvonne Fletcher outside the Libyan Embassy in London and Libyan aid for Irish Republican Army guerrillas in 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland.

Fletcher, 25, died after triggered by a shot of the Embassy during a demonstration against Gaddafi. After a siege of 11-tägigen 30 Libyans at the Embassy were carried off and no one was ever accused of their murder.
Libyan Abdel Basset al-Megrahi was in 2001 a "significant role in planning and committing" condemned the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie that killed 270 people, including 189 Americans.

He shared was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum prison 27 years, but returned to Libya in August 2009 after liberation from a Scottish jail on the grounds that he was suffering from prostate cancer in late stage. He is still alive.

The decision angered many victims relatives and asked strained traditionally strong relations between Britain and the United States, with some US politicians, safe giant BP contracts in Libya help whether it had developed for oil.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who took office in May 2010, called the publication an error. However, Scotland has responsibility for their own legislation after decentralisation 1999.

A British newspaper knew the whereabouts of a former diplomat for the Fletcher wanted to kill Libyan officials said in August. In the same month were officials from Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) contradictory statements, whether they all suspect abroad be tried would allow.

Great Britain played a leading role of NATO's air campaign, which helped to topple NTC fighters Gaddafi in August.
(Reporting by Adrian Croft)

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Muslim Brotherhood goes public with Libya summit

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
By Francois Murphy

BENGHAZI, Libya | Thu Nov 17, 2011 6:30pm EST

BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - The Muslim Brotherhood held its first public conference on Libyan soil on Thursday after being banned for decades, and used the platform to set a moderate tone, calling for a broad national reconstruction effort.

As Libya emerges from a bloody civil war, many observers believe the next elections could pit religious political groups against secular parties, with better-organized Islamists such as the Brotherhood having a tactical advantage.

Speaking nine months to the day after the start of the uprising against Muammar Gaddafi that eventually ended his 42-year rule, Libyan Muslim Brotherhood leader Suleiman Abdelkader praised the rebellion and called on Libya's factions to unite.

"Rebuilding Libya is not a task for one group or one party but for everyone, based on their ability," Abdelkader told the meeting of about 700 people at a wedding hall in Benghazi, the eastern city where the revolt against Gaddafi began.

His remarks appeared to be an expression of support for the idea of a technocratic interim government, which Abdurrahim El-Keib, the prime minister designate, is trying to assemble by a Tuesday deadline.

Abdelkader would not, however, be drawn on whether the Brotherhood wanted one of its members to be part of the interim cabinet, which is due to organize elections in June to a constituent assembly.

"Maybe some (members) will join based on their qualifications and ability. But for this time period we will not join as a party," he told Reuters after his speech.

The slickly organized event was heavy in revolutionary references, with the stage draped in the new national colors and speeches given by guest speakers from Tunisian moderate Islamist party Ennahda and Syria's banned Muslim Brotherhood.

There was also a general mood of celebration for a movement that was founded in 1949 but which organizers said had not held a public meeting in Libya until now.

"I feel great. It's freedom. It's like a dream for us," said Abdallah Dahmani, a 65 year-old university lecturer in chemistry. Many delegates, like Dahmani, were intellectuals with advanced degrees and spoke fluent English.

SECRECY

Members interviewed by Reuters had often joined decades ago and had either lived abroad or were forced to keep their membership secret for fear of arrest, torture and imprisonment.

After so many years of secrecy, they said they were eager to show the Libyan public that there was nothing sinister about their group -- an offshoot of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, that country's most popular and organized political force.

"There's nothing secret. We're not planning to destroy the country," said Abdou Majid Saleh Musbah, 56, an engineer from Tripoli who joined the movement in 1979.

The movement's leader, Abdelkader, emphasized the group's moderate nature in his speech.

"We don't want to replace one tyranny with another. All together, we want to build a civil society that uses moderate Islam in its daily life," he said.

"Now our shared task is to protect Libya, to talk to each other instead of fighting," he added.

The meeting, which is due to last several days, was called after the revolution to appoint a new leadership as the Brotherhood evolves from an organization in exile to a group based throughout Libya, outgoing leader Abdelkader said.

In addition to appointing a new leadership, including deciding whether to replace Abdelkader, the party would discuss which direction it should take as the oil-rich country moves toward democracy, delegates said.

"We are still discussing the form that we should take in the new Libya," Abdelkader told Reuters.

He would not be drawn on whether the Brotherhood would form an alliance with other Islamists in next year's elections.

"We will support whoever makes the wishes of the Libyan people come true," he said.

(Reporting By Francois Murphy; Editing by Myra MacDonald)

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1:55 PM | 0 comments

Gaddafi kin seethe in test of new Libya

 

A man cries to maintain order, how execute civilians in Sirte in order to get food, and daily rations from various cities in Libya, donated 3. November 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Youssef Boudlal

By Rania El Gamal

SIRTE, Libya | Friday, 4 November 2011 4: 07 pm EDT

SIRTE, Libya (Reuters) - two weeks after Muammar al-Gaddafi was killed in his home town, to poison his tribe's own relatives in Sirte, that village, that he be turned into a preferred city with anger and fear, seething, warning, evil blood will come Libya for years.

How far the rhetoric of the vendetta can't put it into action, is difficult to assess, but it is not to misjudge the hatred of the triumphant rebels pushed out their relatives a hatred, reinforced Gaddafi abuse suffered after capture and humiliation, which was exposed to his body before his secret funeral.

"You would forget when someone wrongly killed your son?" You do not remember. Here never forget is, "said Hajj Abu Mohammed, Member of Gaddafi Gaddadfa tribe in Wadi Garif, the deposed strongman desert place of birth in addition to Sirte."

"There will be blood feuds,", he said, are in a place where the native said the graves of Gaddafi's mother and three other related have been emptied and desecrated by enemy combatants during the battle of Sirte, the eight months of the war.

People in Sirte are particularly hostile fighters from Misurata, the next major city in the West, about 250 km (160 km), which they accuse the or the graves and much of the destruction and killings in Sirte--including the Gaddafi himself.

A long tribute to Gaddafi mother Aisha bin Niran, is written on the wall behind the graves. Next to him read freshly sprayed graffiti "Committee for statue crash."

Many Libyans, chiefly to Misurata, the bombardments during the siege of Gaddafi's forces was damaged, believe that to defend soldiers from the Misurata also with the people in the Gulf of Sirte for Gaddafi and destroy their city.

Stories of murder and rape of Gaddafi be said behind closed doors and food rage troops in Misurata. Gaddafi loyalists in Sirte and other desert areas around it are bitter against the revolt which drove thousands from home.

SCATTERED REFUGEES

Hundreds of families have no place to go after their homes in the war have demolished, are now distributed in villages around Sirte. Some remain with related. Other life in tents in the desert, abandoned huts and old school.

You say, anti-Gaddafi fighters went to pillage and burn even after the war was over in their properties and Gaddafi was dead. Residents tell fighter stories of the Government forces of cars at gunpoint and take away their vehicles.

International human rights organizations have urged the new leadership in the Transitional National Council order and respect for civil rights, citing evidence of violations of human rights. In one case dozens of make, some with their hands bound, were found shot dead in a cage, where pro-Gaddafi had settled forces,.

"they stole our furniture, our house burned and took our car," Umm Khaled said as she sat in a tent, sharing it with dozens of her family in the desert.

"What remains in Libya?" Why didn't they just kill us and relieve us. The country and our leader was killed.

"Let it end."

Many Sirte residents are still strongly for Gaddafi, while others simply buy ruled with Libya's oil wealth to a safer and more prosperous time under the man for 42 years with certain sectors of society benefit.

Some consider nor Gaddafi secretly hides him photos under their stuff, while many as the "leader of the martyrs call" - in his Prime, he chose even call, the brother leader.

MEMORIES

"We have only four things in life, you understand me?" said a young girl, a resident of Sirte lives with her family in an abandoned school in Wadi Garif, as they raised their four fingers.

She took this correspondent notebook and pen and wrote "Allah, Muammar, Libya." And... that's all. "It was the ubiquitous vocals from Libyans under the old order."

"We were living in security with Muammar, we never thought we will end up living in a school," she said. "You look around, see food aid by organizations or any officials who visit us?" "Nobody."

The cruel display of Gaddafi's body in a cold room in Misurata for four days also has its root and Sirte residents, angry, such as the possible decision, secretly in the desert, to bury the body and it rejected his tribesmen under custom inter request.

"Our Tribal Sheik went to Tripoli where the Muammar." Rejected then the Misratah people hand him over. "You said he is not to be buried among the Muslims," said Hajj Abu Mohammed. "We dug grave here to bury him." But she said no. "

Other residence are available in the area said: "even if he is dead, they are afraid of him." "Perhaps they fear that there will be an uprising or something if people know where he was buried."

Many Libyans fear that civil war between tribes and regions flare could, if the NTC does not reconcile the hostility of the war and deal with the legacy of weapons, which is created throughout the country up.

"Libya is a tribal culture, and if they do not ensure that reconciliation between the tribes, is it a bloodbath," said Abdullah, Member of the Gaddadfa tribe.

Another man from Sirte, Abu Najeeb, who now, in a tent in the desert together with members who lives after their homes were destroyed, Hamamla tribe, said: "it's not only about weapons."

"I would have a big gun, but if I am content, I would not hurt anyone."

"But if I don't get my rights back and I'm not satisfied," added he, when he his fingers in the throat, "Can I kill three people with a small knife."

(Editing by Barry Malone and Alastair MacDonald)

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2:30 PM | 0 comments

Vast oil and gas reserves help to warm relations with Libya

The Times
Robin Pagnamenta, Energy Editor

At 42 billion barrels, Libya has the largest proven oil reserves of any African country — equal to about 3 per cent of the global total. Its gas reserves are some 1.5 trillion cubic metres, the fourth-largest in Africa.

But Libya remains relatively unexplored, and the potential for fresh discoveries means that the true total could be far higher. That is why Libya’s return to the international fold has triggered a scramble for drilling rights among international oil companies.

Three of Britain’s biggest — BP, Royal Dutch Shell and BG — have already signed preliminary deals to provide cash and expertise to develop Libya’s investment-starved oil and gas industry. Shell signed in 2004, only months after Libya publicly abandoned plans to develop weapons of mass destruction, and the UN Security Council voted unanimously to lift sanctions.

BP’s much bigger deal, worth an estimated $900 million, was announced in 2007 during a visit by Tony Blair, then Prime Minister, to Tripoli. The company, which withdrew from Libya in 1974 when the country nationalised its oil industry, will explore 54,000sq km — at the onshore Ghadames and offshore Sirte basins.

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British companies are competing against a host of rivals including Total, of France, the American ConocoPhillips, China National Petroleum Corp and Gazprom, the Russian state-controlled producer.

The British Government also has a strong vested interest in the programme. With North Sea gas running out fast, it hopes that Libya could become an alternative to Russia as a source of supply. By 2015, Britain could be importing as much as 80 per cent of its gas needs, up from 40 per cent now.

Exploration work in Libya in the 1960s identified at least ten fields each with more than a billion barrels of oil. Modern techniques could uncover more, and vast areas of the Libyan Sahara remain unexplored. Exploration licences cover only one third of the country. A spokesman for BP said that — if its exploration programmes offshore and in the country’s west are successful — it could invest $20 billion or more over the next 20 years building refineries, pipelines, petrochemical and liquefied natural gas plants to allow exports to the UK and elsewhere.

Libya, a member of the Opec cartel, which earns more than 95 per cent of its export revenue from oil and gas, is suffering from the impact of weaker oil prices this year. It desperately needs foreign investment to boost production, which at 1.8 million barrels a day is only a little more than half its peak of 3.3 million barrels in 1970.

John Mitchell, an oil industry specialist at Chatham House, the foreign policy think-tank, said: “There has not been much investment, so the Libyans do need the money. There is probably a lot more oil and gas there waiting to be discovered.” But fossil fuels are not the only source of interest for foreign companies.

British engineering firms such as Halcrow have won engineering contracts in the country, while France is pushing to sell Libya nuclear reactor technology.

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