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| Africa North |
| Belhaj Arrested then Released at Tripoli Airport |
| 2011-11-27 |
| [Tripoli Post] The head of the Tripoli Military Council and the former leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, Abdulhakim Belhaj, was stopped from flying to Turkey and accused of travelling on a fake passport, but after the intervention of the NTC chairman he was released, the British daily newspaper has reported. The report quotes Taher al-Tourki, head of the Zintan civilian council, saying that Belhaj was flying to Istanbul in Turkey on a fake passport -- it had a different name but his picture - when he was stopped by the Zintan Brigade, which currently controls the main international airport. Tourki said that the men at the airport contacted Mustafa Abdul Jalil the chairman of the National Transitional Council directly and he ordered them to release him. A front man for Mr Belhaj said later that after the incident at the airport he was able to board his original plane for to Istanbul where he went on "an important mission". He also dismissed as "complete lies" the speculation that circulated the city overnight, saying that he was trying to escape the country. Belhaj was in charge of the main Islamist guerrilla group fighting against former Libyan dictator Muammar Al Qadaffy ... who is now deader than a rock... , whose regime once secretly extradited him rom Thailand back to Libya, where he said he was tortured, with the help of MI6 and the CIA. After the successful revolt that ousted Al Qadaffy, he became one of the revolution's dominant figures and appointed head of the Tripoli military council. According to the newspaper's report, Belhaj, who was one of the front runners for the post of defence minister, claims he was offered the post in the interim government announced by by prime minister Abdurrahim el-Keeb on Tuesday, but turned it down as he wants to go into a less military, more political position after elections are held. The Zintan Brigade, whose leader, Col. Osama Juwaili was this week appointed as defence minister in the cabinet of the transitional government, is reported to be the key rival of Belhaj's Tripoli Military Council. Members of both militias still patrol the capital, both setting up their own checkpoints and challenging local authority. Mr Juwaili reported told the British daily that he would not withdraw his men until a police force was well-established. |
| Posted by:Fred |