Gaddafi’s son Hannibal freed by Lebanese authorities

The information branch of Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces has released Hannibal Gaddafi, the son of late Libyan dictator Mummar Gaddafi, who was handed over to them hours after he was kidnapped by an unknown group.

Lebanese police freed Hannibal on Saturday and were set to question him, a source told AFP, without specifying where he had been released.

Hannibal was reportedly travelling from Syria to Lebanon on Friday when he was kidnapped somewhere in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa valley.

Local media had earlier circulated footage from the kidnappers showing Hannibal talking about the circumstances in which he was kidnapped and the reasons, saying: “I am with people who fear God, a group that has a cause.”

Gaddafi said that the kidnappers had demanded information about Moussa al-Sadr, the founder of the Lebanese Resistance Regiments – which later became known as the Amal Movement – a Shia-dominated Lebanese political party.

Amal blames the 1978 disappearance of Sadr on the Gaddafi regime. Conflicting reports about the Shia leader’s fate had emerged in the past and some of it has indicated that the late Libyan dictator had ordered his killing.

Sadr was last seen in Italy boarding a plane bound for the Libyan capital Tripoli.

In the video – which has not been verified yet – Hannibal looks like he had been beaten up but he says that he is well.

“I’m in good health, I’m fine, comfortable and no one should worry about me. I am with people who fear God and have a cause, and they are loyal to their cause. Therefore we should respect them for their loyalty,” Gaddafi said.

“We should understand and appreciate these people who have suffered by telling the truth about what happened [to Imam Moussa al-Sadr]. The world should learn to be loyal like the supporters of Imam al-Sadr, unlike those who defected and ran away and left the imam to face his fate.” He added.

“I hope that the people who I am talking about hear me and if they have evidence, would bring out immediately without delay. Because enough of this suffering, enough. Enough injustice, people here want their son [the imam].”

Al Jadeed TV reported that Gaddafi was kidnapped by men associated with the Shiite Amal Movement, a close ally of Hezbollah .
Sky News reported that former Hezbollah MP Hassan Yacoub is behind the abduction of Gadhafi

But Yacoub denied any role in Gaddafi’s kidnapping .
“I have nothing to do with the kidnapping of Hannibal Gaddafi in connection with Moussa al-Sadr’s disappearance with his companions”, he told LBCI

The Gaddafi family has long been unwelcomed in Lebanon, especially among members of the Shiite Muslim community, because of Imam Sadr’s disappearance in Libya on August 31, 1978 at the age of 51.

Hannibal is married to Lebanese model Aline Skaf, but his presence in Lebanon was not expected as he is considered to be a persona non grata in the country, particularly by the Shia community.

Security officials are studying the possibility that Hannibal was lured to Lebanon in order to kidnap him.

alaraby.co.uk./ Al Jazeera