http://www.libyaherald.com/under-assault-tunisian-government-insists-mahmoudi-extradition-was-above-board/
Under assault, Tunisian government insists Mahmoudi extradition was above board
By Michel Cousins.
Qaddafi’s last premier, Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, being led to detention in Libya
Tripoli, 26 June:
The Tunisian government has categorically denied that there was any financial deal behind the delivery of the Qaddafi regime’s last prime minister, Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, to the Libyan authorities on Sunday. At a press conference, Tunisia’s Justice Minister Noureddine Bhiri and its Human Rights and Transitional Justice Minister Samir Dilou insisted that the decision to hand over Mahmoudi had been “transparent” and above board.
“The extradition process took place after completion of all legal justifications by the relevant judicial authorities”, Dilou said.
Suspicions of a deal surfaced in Tunisia after reports of a Libyan offer to assure it of oil supplies at below market price and make a multi-million dollar cash injective into its economy. The offer was made during the visit to Tunis a month ago by Prime Minister Abdurrahim Al-Kib and a number of his cabinet colleagues. Libya’s demand that Mahmoudi be handed over to face charges of corruption and inciting Qaddafi forces to rape women during last year’s revolution were discussed during the visit.
The decision to hand over Mahmoudi has deeply divided Tunisia and threatens to bring down its government. President Moncef Marzouki has denounced the move as “illegal” and said that Tunisian Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali who took the decision had “overstepped his prerogatives” and would be held personally responsible for anything that happened to Baghdadi.
It is “the start of a grave governmental crisis” disclosed presidential spokesman Adnen Mansar.
Today, Tuesday, in an indication of the scale of the crisis, other opposition parties in the constituent assembly rallied to the president’s support and staged a walk out in protest at the extradition. The walk out by 73 deputies followed a bitter row when the speaker refused to allow a debate on the subject.
It is difficult to see the issue being easily resolved.
Marzouki leads Tunisia’s center-left Congress for the Republic (CPR), one of the three parties in the governing coalition led by the moderate Islamist Ennahda party. It came first in last October’s elections. CPR came second and the other party in the coalition, Ettakatol (also centre-left), came third. But there is now a serious possibility that Marzouki will pull his party out of the government. He has built his reputation as a defender of human rights and has made it clear that that as far as he is concerned, Ennahda has ridden roughshod over them.
If he does, Ettakatol will probably leave as well. Its leader, Mustapha Ben Jaafar, is the speaker who refused today’s debate and clearly wants to avoid a crisis. But four of his members joined the walk out. Even if it sticks with Ennahda, the government would still collapse if the CPR quits the coalition.
A motion of no confidence in Jebali is now being planned.
However, not all Tunisians agree with the president. There are voices that support the decision, linking it to Tunisia’s own demand that Saudi Arabia extradite its former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
For its part, the increasingly isolated Ennahda has accused its opponents of trying to defend a criminal. Dilou, too, has insisted that Prime Minister Jebali had been fully within his rights to sign the extradition decision.
Meanwhile in Tripoli, Salah Darhoub, the new NTC spokesman, has said that the authorities have began their investigations of Mahmoudi.
Thanking the Tunisian government and people for handing him over to Chief of Staff Yousef Mangoush and representatives from the Ministry of Justice, Darhoub said the former prime minister was in good health and that he was now being held in a prison controlled by the Ministry of Justice. Seemingly oblivious to the row in Tunisia, he also thanked the Tunisian president for the handover.
The Libyan government have also today dismissed claims by Mahmoudi’s French lawyer, Marcel Ceccaldi, that his client had been beaten up and then treated in hospital after arriving back in Libya.
“I completely deny reports that Mahmudi was assaulted,” Deputy Justice Minister Khalifa Ashur was quoted as saying.
A firm denial too came from Hisham Al-Atiri, the doctor assigned to look after him on a daily basis at the detention centre where he is being held. “There were no signs of beatings. He only has diabetes and no other condition,” he told AFP.
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http://www.libyaherald.com/cyrenaicas-army-chief-states-his-case/
Cyrenaica’s army chief states his case
Tripoli, 26 June:
Brigadier-General Hamid Hassi is commander of the so-called Army of Cyrenaica, the military wing of the self-appointed Cyrenaica Transitional Council. Libya Herald’s Ashraf Abdul-Wahab questioned him about its real intentions.
AA: What is the truth behind the cutting-off of the main road connecting between Benghazi and Tripoli at the Wadi Al-Ahmar (“The Red Valley” – the historic border between Tripolitania and Cyrenaica)?
HH: Yes, we put a checkpoint in the Wadi Al-Ahmar area but we did not try to prevent any vehicles belonging to the general public from driving across. We were only there to stop vehicles carrying weapons or any other forms of military equipment because we do not want any eastern forces or weapons reaching the western region for whatever reason.
AA: It’s said that you want to set-up an independent state in the eastern province, even if by force of arms if necessary?
HH: At the moment, we’re protesting over our demands for an equal number of seats in the National General Conference. We do not want the country divided.
AA: If you are only requesting to have equal seats, why then form an army which you’ve called “The Army of Cyrenaica”? Why did you not turn to the Constitutional and Supreme Courts or to peaceful protests?
HH: We have submitted a request to the Constitutional Court of Benghazi, but at the instructions of Mustafa Abdul Jalil, the appeal was rejected. However, we have submitted another one.
AA: Is the Army of Cyrenaica under with Ministry of Defence?
HH: No, the Cyrenaica Army is affiliated with the Chief of Staff because we do not approve of Ministry of Defense or the Defense Minister because he is a civilian and has no right to be head of a Military Ministry!
AA: Don’t you think by requesting federalism, division of the country and the formation of an independent army you will be in effect exposing yourselves to retribution of the law, which carries within its provisions the death penalty?
HH: This law has become null and void because it was made by the old tyrant.
AA: No, this law was in place since the 1950s, from the days of the Libyan Kingdom!
HH: No. Such laws have been altered and we do not approve if it.
AA: Do you still insist on supporting federalism and the division of the country, and are prepared to achieve that even it means using arms?
HH: No, we will not use force except if necessary. As it is, you can see the general situation in Libya — from Kufra to the Nafusa Mountains and to Sebha.
We insist that Tripoli remain the capital, but federalism is not about division. We want self-rule for Cyrenaica and be in control of our assets and capabilities. We have suffered marginalization for so long.
AA: Muhammed Al-Huti stated that the new borders of a free Cyrenaica are being drawn up and that you have prepared a list of the ministers of the new state. Would you have a role in this state?
HH: Muhammed Al-Huti is an internet blogger and we do not have anything to do with him. He is the one responsible for what he says.
AA: Are you satisfied with dividing Libya into east, west and south? Don’t you think that this might encourage other areas to request the same thing?
HH: Libya is currently divided and the best proof of that is that Misrata has now in effect a separate government, and Zintan likewise.
AA: Do you expect armed confrontation with the Libyan national army led by the Ministry of Defense?
HH: There is no Libyan national army in the first place. The Ministry of Defence is unable to form a national army. In any case, we are part of General Staff. So we don’t think the General Staff is going to send military forces to fight us.
Ashraf Abdul-Wahab adds: The Libyan Defense Minister Osama Juwaily was a former officer in the Libyan armed forces but was made redundant when the former regime decided to make employment cuts. Last year, he led most of the battles in the Nafusa Mountains in the fighting against Qaddafi’s troops.
There were also reports that the main road was blocked at Wadi Al-Ahmar and that coaches from Egypt on their way to Tripoli were made to turn back. Most of the passengers had to continue their journey to Tripoli by air.
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