Libya Asks Niger to Extradite Gaddafi's Exiled Son

By Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor Monday, February 13, 2012

Libya has asked Niger to extradite one of overthrown ruler Muammar Gaddafi's sons, currently under house-arrest, after his remarks to a television channel that his father's loyalists were preparing for an uprising against the current rulers.

The ruling National Transitional Council, which replaced Gaddafi's regime last September, on Saturday demanded that authorities in Niger hand over Al-Saadi Gaddafi and other officials from his father's regime if it wanted to "preserve its relationship and interests" in Libya, The Associated Press reported Sunday.

"Saadi used the asylum he was granted in Niger on humanitarian basis to carry out acts of aggression against the Libyan people and their glorious revolution," Libyan council's spokesman Mohammed Nasr al-Hraizi said in a statement.

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However, Niger's Justice Minister Morou Amadou said the government was not likely to accede to Libya's demand as it apprehended threat to the lives of Saadi and other Libyan officials. Niger would instead be willing to extradite Gaddafi's son to the city of The Hague in Netherlands, if the International Criminal Court requests for it, he added.

The Libyan regime suspects that Gaddafi loyalists inside the country could make an attempt to foment unrest on Feb. 17, the first anniversary of the start of the months long uprising that ended Gaddafi's 42-year rule in September and led to his eventual death in October.

Libya asked for Saadi's extradition after he told Al-Arabiya TV in a telephonic interview last week that his father's supporters "are suffering tremendously" in Libyan prisons and that he would definitely return to Libya. He said he was in touch with Gaddafi loyalists on a daily basis, claiming that "70 percent of Libyans are unhappy with the current circumstances. They are ready to cooperate to change these conditions." "I call everyone to be prepared for this uprising, and be ready for the zero hour… There is an uprising that will happen everywhere in the country," he added. "This will be a new popular uprising."

Saadi also claimed that he had been in contact with the Libyan council. However, al-Hraizi denied it had been contacted by Gaddafi's son. He also assured the Libyan people that neither Saadi nor anyone else can raise the Gaddafi flag on Libyan soil. Niger's minister Amadou also assured Libya that his country had taken measures so that Saadi never makes such a statement again.

According to the U.N., former rebel groups in Libya are holding about 8,000 prisoners in 60 detention centers around the country. Saadi's brother Seif al-Islam, who was captured last November, is also in a detention center awaiting trial. The Libyan council says it is trying to control militias to address concerns raised by human rights groups.

Last year's uprising in Libya began after the Gaddafi-led government used violent means to curb peaceful protests.