Libyan prosecutors open an investigation into the killing of Muammar Gaddafi’s son Seif al-Islam amid political division and impunity
TRIPOLI: Libyan prosecutors have launched an investigation into the killing of Seif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of the country’s slain former ruler.
The public prosecutor’s office dispatched forensic experts to Zintan in northwest Libya, where he was shot dead on Tuesday. Investigators are working to identify suspects and speak to witnesses to shed light on the incident.
French lawyer Marcel Ceccaldi, who had been representing Seif al-Islam, told AFP his client was killed by an unidentified “four-man commando” who stormed his house. The prosecutor’s office confirmed the victim died from gunshot wounds.
Seif al-Islam, once seen as his father’s heir apparent, was 53 years old. He held a doctorate from the London School of Economics and was associated with London’s elite before the 2011 uprising.
He was arrested in 2011 under an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged crimes against humanity. A Tripoli court later sentenced him to death, but he was granted amnesty.
In 2021, he announced a presidential bid, but the elections were indefinitely postponed. The head of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi, referred to him as a “presidential candidate” in a statement urging restraint.
Menfi called on political forces to await the official investigation results, warning that escalation could undermine national reconciliation and elections. He urged media and social actors to avoid incitement to hatred.
Global rights group Amnesty International said his death “robs survivors and relatives of victims of their rights to truth, justice and reparations”. The group stated it highlights “the pervasive climate of impunity in Libya”.
This impunity fuels crimes by “unaccountable and abusive militias and armed groups”, according to the Amnesty statement. Libya remains split between rival UN-backed and eastern administrations.
Many Libyans believe the killing was politically motivated. Shopkeeper Marwan Salama, 35, told AFP in Tripoli that the act was “purely political”.
He said it aimed at “diverting attention” and “paving the way for a unified government”. Some experts suggested Seif al-Islam could have been an alternative to the existing rival authorities.
No information has been released on his burial. His adviser, Abdullah Othman Abdurrahim, told Libyan media an autopsy was completed and he could be buried in Bani Walid, south of Tripoli.
Very little has emerged about the identity or motives of the assailants. Diverging public speculations about the killing have ensued across the divided nation.
