Kidnapped Libyan Prime Minister Regains Freedom (PICTURED)
Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has apparently been freed by militants who kidnapped him from in the capital city of Tripoli in the early hours of October 10, 2013, Thursday.
The
kidnapping was carried out by a militia in revenge for the government's
role in the capture of a top Al-Qaeda suspect by U.S. troops.
A spokesman of the Libyan Government revealed that 62-year-old PM and two of his bodyguards were abducted from the Corinthia Hotel in Tripoli, and ‘taken to an unknown destination for an unknown reason’.
Six hours after he was captured, Libya’s state news agency reported that he had been released, and was ‘in good health’.
A
spokesman for the Operations Room of Libya's Revolutionaries, a group
of former rebels, claimed
responsibility for PM Zeidan's kidnap and
blamed the U.S. operation which captured suspected terrorist Abu Anas
al-Liby.
“His arrest comes after... John Kerry said the Libyan government was aware of the operation,” the spokesman said.
As
many as 150 gunmen were seen driving up to the hotel in pick-up trucks,
with some laying siege to the building and others going to Mr. Zeidan's
suite on the 21st floor.
The
Prime Minister did not resist when he was led away around 5.15 a.m.,
according to witnesses, who reported that no shots had been fired.
Corinthia's
security manager said that the gunmen had brandished an arrest warrant
for PM Zeidan from the public prosecutor, although the official's office
said that no such document had been issued.
The two guards who were kidnapped with the prime minister were beaten by their captors, but later released.
