Seif al-Islam, Qadhafi's 'captured' son, resurfaces miraculously in Tripoli

 

Seif al-Islam Qadhafi, shaking hand with supporters. 

Seif al-Islam Qadhafi, son of Muammar Qadhafi and regarded as his most likely successor, who rebels said they had captured,  made a surprise appearance in Tripoli Monday night. He visited the Tripoli hotel where foreign journalists are staying to declare that the government was winning the battle against the rebels. Seif al-Islam took journalists to his father's Bab al-Aziziyah stronghold. Television footage showed Saif smiling, waving and shaking hands with supporters, as well as holding his arms aloft and making the V for victory sign.

"We broke the back of the rebels. It was a trap. We gave them a hard time, so we are winning," Seif said.

"Take up arms today, take up arms today," Saif told loyalists.'Inshallah we will attack the rats today,' he said. His supporters cheered.

Both the rebels and the International Criminal Court in The Hague had reported that Seif had been arrested and would be sent to the ICC. His appearance before the foreign media raised questions about the rebels' credibility.

Seif said Tripoli was under government control and that he did not care about the arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court seeking him and his father for crimes against humanity. Qadhafi himself has not been seen in public for several weeks before the rebels arrived in the capital at the weekend. But when asked if his father was safe and well in Tripoli, Saif told journalists: 'Of course.'

Lateron the rebels captured Qadhafi's former compound Bab al-Azizia. But also news surfaced that Qadhafi;s eldest son Muhammad, who was reported to have been captured as well by the rebels, had managed to escape. The news of his escape was made public by Libyan Ambassador Ali Suleiman Aujali with the Libyan rebel National Transitional Council (NTC).