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Senussi’s Tribe to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Don’t Know if He’s Dead or Alive

Abdullah al-Senussi seen in court. (Reuters file photo)
Abdullah al-Senussi seen in court. (Reuters file photo)
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Senussi’s Tribe to Asharq Al-Awsat: We Don’t Know if He’s Dead or Alive

Abdullah al-Senussi seen in court. (Reuters file photo)
Abdullah al-Senussi seen in court. (Reuters file photo)

Libya’s Magarha tribe stressed that it does not know the fate of its son, Abdullah al-Senussi, former chief of intelligence in the regime of ousted ruler Moammar al-Gaddafi.

Senior member of the tribe, Sheikh Haroun Arhouma told Asharq Al-Awsat: “We will not remain silent if something were to happen to him.”

Senussi, also Gaddafi’s son-in-law, was one of the top officials in the former regime. He was sentenced to death in 2015 for suppressing the February 17, 2011, revolution protests. At 72, he is suffering from cancer, and according to his tribe, is being denied treatment and medical care.

Sheikh Haroun said Senussi’s health is “very poor”, revealing that he is suffering from heart problems, as well as liver cancer.

Several parties have held the authorities responsible for his ongoing imprisonment even though former regime figures have been released from jail.

Sheikh Haroun also held the United Nations mission accountable for his safety.

“We have not seen him since Ramadan,” said Sheikh Haround, adding that his three children have been prevented from visiting him.

“We don’t know whether he is dead or alive,” he added.

Senussi is being held in Mitiga prison in the capital Tripoli. The facility is controlled by the Special Deterrence Force militia, headed by Abdel Raouf Kara.

Sheikh Haroun said the tribe was informed that Senussi had undergone heart surgery two months ago, but his relatives have yet to see him.

On assertions by Senussi’s daughter that he is in poor health, Sheikh Haroun declared: “I hold the UN, the Government of National Unity (GNU), headed by Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, and the Presidential Council responsible for his safety.

He revealed that the tribe had twice met with Dbeibah, head of the Council, Mohammed al-Menfi, and High Council of State chief Khalid al-Mishri to seek Senussi’s release but to no avail.

The UN Support Mission in Libya “has done nothing even though we have pleaded with it dozens of times to act,” revealed Sheikh Haroun.

The mission has long called for the release of people who have been “arbitrarily” detained, but it also says that it refuses to become embroiled in the judiciary and respects its rulings.

Senussi was part of Gaddafi’s inner circle. He was close to the deposed leader for 42 years and is wanted by the International Criminal Court.

His supporters say he is being targeted because he was and still is an influential figure in Libya, while his opponents say he played a primary role in quelling the revolt.

Sheikh Haroun speculated that Senussi is being kept in prison because “he is loved by all regions in Libya.”

“The majority of the people want him to be released,” he added, suggesting that international powers, such as Britain and the United States, have been pressuring the Deterrence Force against releasing him.

“Had it not been for Senussi, the former regime would have collapsed a long time ago,” continued Sheikh Haroun.

“If he were to be released, then he would be able to activate the national reconciliation due to his good ties with all parties, including the armed forces and brother Khalifa Haftar [commander of the Libyan National Army],” he remarked.

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Lebanon’s President to Asharq Al-Awsat: Decision of War and Peace Lies Solely with the State

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
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Lebanon’s President to Asharq Al-Awsat: Decision of War and Peace Lies Solely with the State

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in the interview with Asharq Al-Awsat's editor-in-chief Ghassan Charbel. Photo: Asharq Al-Awsat

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun says he wants to build a state that has the decision of war and peace and stressed he is committed to implementing Security Council Resolution 1701.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, his first since his election in January, Aoun said: “Our objective is to build the state, so nothing is difficult. And if we want to talk about the concept of sovereignty, its concept is to place the decisions of war and peace in the hands of the state, and to monopolize or restrict weapons to the state.”

“When will it be achieved? Surely, the circumstances will allow it,” he told the newspaper.

Asked whether the state will be able to impose control over all Lebanese territories with its own forces and without any military or security partnership, he said: "It is no longer allowed for anyone other than the state to fulfill its national duty in protecting the land and the people ... When there is an aggression against the Lebanese state, the state makes the decision, and it determines how to mobilize forces to defend the country."

He also stressed his full commitment to implement UN Security Council Resolution 1701. “The state and all its institutions are committed to implementing the Resolution” on the “entire Lebanese territories,” Aoun said.

On the possible adoption of a defense strategy, Aoun insisted that even if a state does not have enemies on its borders, it should agree on a national security strategy that not only deals with military goals but also economic and fiscal objectives.

“We are tired of war,” he said in response to a question. “We hope to end military conflicts and resolve our problems through diplomatic efforts,” he said.

Asked whether he was surprised that the Israeli army has stayed at five points in south Lebanon, Aoun said that Israel should have committed to the ceasefire agreement that was sponsored by the US and France and should have withdrawn from all areas it had entered during the war with Hezbollah.

“We are in contact with France and the US to pressure Israel to withdraw from the five points because they don’t have any military value,” he said.

“With the emergence of technologies, drones and satellites,” an army does not need a hill for surveillance, Aoun added.

"Saudi Arabia has become a gateway for the region and for the whole world. It has become a platform for global peace,” he said when asked why he has chosen to visit the Kingdom on his first official trip abroad.

“I hope and expect from Saudi Arabia, especially Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, that we correct the relationship for the benefit of both countries and remove all the obstacles ... so that we can build economic and natural relations between us.”

He said that during his visit he plans to ask Saudi Arabia to revive a grant of military aid to Lebanon.

On relations with the Syrian authorities, Aoun said he intends to have friendly ties the new Syrian administration and that one of the pressing issues is to resolve the problem of the porous border between the two countries.

“There are problems on the border (with Syria) with smugglers. Most importantly, the land and sea border with Syria should be demarcated,” he said.

Aoun also called for resolving the problem of Syrian refugees in Lebanon. “The Syrian state cannot give up on 2 million citizens who have been displaced to Lebanon.”

The refugees should return because “the Syrian war ended and the regime that was persecuting them collapsed,” he said.