Slain Gaddafi's cousin held in Cairo
2013-03-19 15:19
Cairo - Egyptian police arrested on Tuesday Ahmed Qaddaf
al-Dam, a cousin of Muammar Gaddafi, who is wanted in Libya for his role in the
regime of the slain Libyan strongman, Egyptian state media reported.
Qaddaf al-Dam, reached on his cell phone, however sought to
play down the arrest and said he would file a complaint with the Egyptian
public prosecutor and Libyan authorities.
"I am on my way now, in the company of lawyers,"
he said.
A security official and state television said Qaddaf al-Dam
surrendered to police after they besieged his home. The official MENA news
agency reported he will be handed over to Libyan authorities, who want to put
him on trial.
Police outside his apartment in the upscale Cairo
neighbourhood of Zamalek said Qaddaf al-Dam surrendered without a struggle
after police sent up the Libyan consul to persuade him.
An official at the Libyan embassy told AFP that authorities
had also arrested two other figures, former Libyan ambassador Ali Maria and
Mohammed Ibrahim, the brother of senior Gaddafi-era Libyan official Ahmed
Ibrahim.
"This is part of a plan by the Libyan authorities in
co-ordination with Egyptian authorities to arrest wanted Libyans living in
Egypt," Abdel Hamid al-Safi said.
Shortly after the start of the uprising that toppled Gaddafi,
Qaddaf al-Dam had announced he had resigned from all official functions.
Until then, Qaddaf al-Dam, who had permanent residence in
Cairo, oversaw Libya's relations with Egypt.
- SAPA
