Abdullah Senussi
Encyclopedia
Abdullah Senussi is a Libya
n national who was the intelligence chief and brother-in-law of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi
. He was married to Gaddafi's sister-in-law.
According to The Guardian he had a reputation for brutality since the 1970s. During the 1980s he was head of internal security in Libya, at a time when many opponents of Gaddafi were killed. Later, he had been described as the head of military intelligence, but it is unclear whether he actually held an official rank. In 1999 he was convicted in absentia in France for his role in a 1989 bombing
of a passenger plane flying over Niger that resulted in the deaths of 170 people. Libyans believe he was responsible for massacring 1,200 prisoners at the Abu Salim jail in 1996. He was also thought to have been behind an alleged plot in 2003 to assassinate Crown Prince Abdullah
of Saudi Arabia.
US embassy cables described him as being a confidant of Gaddafi who makes "many of his medical arrangements". During the 2011 Libyan civil war
, he was blamed for orchestrating killings in the city of Benghazi
and recruiting foreign mercenaries. He was believed to have extensive business interests in Libya.
On 1 March 2011, Libya's Quryna newspaper reported that Gaddafi sacked him.
On 16 May 2011, the International Criminal Court
prosecutor announced that he is seeking an arrest warrant for Abdullah Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity.
On 21 July 2011, Libyan opposition sources claimed that Senussi had been killed in an attack by armed rebels in Tripoli; however, a few hours later the same sources recanted on their earlier claim and some even said he might have just been injured.
On 30 August 2011, there were reports that both Senussi's son, Mohammed Abdullah al-Senussi
, and Col Gaddafi's son, Khamis, were killed during clashes with NATO and rebels in Tarhuna. In October, Arrai Televison, a pro-Gaddafi network in Syria confirmed that Mohammad Senussi and Khamis Gaddafi had been killed on 29 August. While some believe Senussi was killed alongside Gaddafi in Sirte on 20 October, Niger foreign minister Mohammad Bazoum told Reuters that he fled to Niger. However, a Libyan fighter later told the Guardian that the rebels had the possession of three other men who were in Gaddafi's convoy when he was killed and that he believed one them was Senussi. The other two were identified as Gaddafi's slain son Moatassem and one of his military commanders Mansour Dhao, who was still alive and confirmed his identity, as well as details of Gaddafi's death, to Human Rights Watch while in the hospital; Dhao was earlier thought to have fled to Niger.
However, later reports surfaced that Senussi from his hideout in Niger was helping Saif al-Islam Gaddafi escape from Libya. Senussi was reportedly captured on 20 November near the city of Sabha. It was afterwards reported that he would be taken to Tripoli
to stand trial for charges of crimes against humanity, according to the National Transitional Council
. However, ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo
doubted Senussi was captured. Libyan defense minister Osama Jweli also stated that there was no evidence Senussi had been captured.
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n national who was the intelligence chief and brother-in-law of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
. He was married to Gaddafi's sister-in-law.
According to The Guardian he had a reputation for brutality since the 1970s. During the 1980s he was head of internal security in Libya, at a time when many opponents of Gaddafi were killed. Later, he had been described as the head of military intelligence, but it is unclear whether he actually held an official rank. In 1999 he was convicted in absentia in France for his role in a 1989 bombing
UTA Flight 772
UTA Flight 772 of the French airline Union des Transports Aériens was a scheduled flight operating from Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo, via N'Djamena in Chad, to Paris CDG airport in France....
of a passenger plane flying over Niger that resulted in the deaths of 170 people. Libyans believe he was responsible for massacring 1,200 prisoners at the Abu Salim jail in 1996. He was also thought to have been behind an alleged plot in 2003 to assassinate Crown Prince Abdullah
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...
of Saudi Arabia.
US embassy cables described him as being a confidant of Gaddafi who makes "many of his medical arrangements". During the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
, he was blamed for orchestrating killings in the city of Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
and recruiting foreign mercenaries. He was believed to have extensive business interests in Libya.
On 1 March 2011, Libya's Quryna newspaper reported that Gaddafi sacked him.
On 16 May 2011, the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
prosecutor announced that he is seeking an arrest warrant for Abdullah Senussi on charges of crimes against humanity.
On 21 July 2011, Libyan opposition sources claimed that Senussi had been killed in an attack by armed rebels in Tripoli; however, a few hours later the same sources recanted on their earlier claim and some even said he might have just been injured.
On 30 August 2011, there were reports that both Senussi's son, Mohammed Abdullah al-Senussi
Mohammed Abdullah al-Senussi
Mohammed Abdullah Senussi was the son of former Libyan Intelligence chief Abdullah Senussi.On 29 August 2011, he and his cousin Khamis Gaddafi, were killed by a National Transitional Council technical.-Death:...
, and Col Gaddafi's son, Khamis, were killed during clashes with NATO and rebels in Tarhuna. In October, Arrai Televison, a pro-Gaddafi network in Syria confirmed that Mohammad Senussi and Khamis Gaddafi had been killed on 29 August. While some believe Senussi was killed alongside Gaddafi in Sirte on 20 October, Niger foreign minister Mohammad Bazoum told Reuters that he fled to Niger. However, a Libyan fighter later told the Guardian that the rebels had the possession of three other men who were in Gaddafi's convoy when he was killed and that he believed one them was Senussi. The other two were identified as Gaddafi's slain son Moatassem and one of his military commanders Mansour Dhao, who was still alive and confirmed his identity, as well as details of Gaddafi's death, to Human Rights Watch while in the hospital; Dhao was earlier thought to have fled to Niger.
However, later reports surfaced that Senussi from his hideout in Niger was helping Saif al-Islam Gaddafi escape from Libya. Senussi was reportedly captured on 20 November near the city of Sabha. It was afterwards reported that he would be taken to Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
to stand trial for charges of crimes against humanity, according to the National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
. However, ICC chief prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo
Luis Moreno Ocampo
José Luis Moreno OcampoMoreno Ocampo's surnames are often hyphenated in English-language media to distinguish Moreno as a surname, rather than a given name. is an Argentine lawyer who has been the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court since June 16, 2003...
doubted Senussi was captured. Libyan defense minister Osama Jweli also stated that there was no evidence Senussi had been captured.
External links
- Libya: Who is propping up Gaddafi?, Frank Gardner, BBC NewsBBC NewsBBC News is the department of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs. The department is the world's largest broadcast news organisation and generates about 120 hours of radio and television output each day, as well as online...
, 23 February 2011