"Most Unusual Weird Request": Libya urges neighbors to hand over Gaddafi supporters

26.02.2012

Libya urged its neighbors to hand over supporters of toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi who have fled the country, saying bilateral ties could be threatened if they did not cooperate.

Mustafa Abdel Jalil, chairman of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council (NTC), named no specific countries but said Libya had spoken to Arab and African states about the matter.

"The NTC, the transitional government and the Libyan people reached out to our neighbors to respect each other and not intervene in our internal issues but we are sorry that they didn't listen to us," he told a news conference.

"They are hosting the enemies of the Libyan people, those who stole Libyan money and killed Libyans. We have evidence that these people committed crimes," he added, without naming those whom Libya wanted handed over.

Libya this month urged Niger to extradite Gaddafi's son Saadi, saying his call for Libyans to prepare for a "coming uprising" threatened bilateral ties.

Niger responded that it could not hand over Saadi, who fled south to the West African state in September as Libyan forces gain the upper hand over his father's forces, because he would face execution in Libya.

But officials in Libya and Niger said Niger authorities had placed tighter restrictions on Saadi's movements.

Gaddafi's wife Safiya, daughter Aisha and sons Mohammed and Hannibal fled to Algeria in August.