Niger says Saadi Qaddafi is under surveillance but is not detained

Niger said on Monday it has Saadi Qaddafi, a son of the fugitive Libyan strongman, Muammar Qaddafi, under surveillance but has not detained him.


“Nothing has changed in the government’s position. There is no international search for him. Like the others he is just under surveillance,” a government spokesman said, referring to other Qaddafi loyalists who have recently fled to Niger.



A U.S. official said earlier on Monday that Niger was preparing to detain Saadi.



“We have confirmed with the government of Niger that Saadi crossed over, that they are either in the process or have already brought him to the capital of Niamey and intend to detain him,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

Saadi Qaddafi was among 32 members of the fugitive former Libyan leader’s inner circle who have arrived in Niger since September 2, according to Niger’s prime minister.

The Libyans had crossed the border in four separate groups durinf the last 10 days and had been taken in by Niger for “humanitarian reasons,” Prime Minister Brigi Rafini said during a meeting with foreign diplomats in Niamey.



The most recent arrivals included Saadi and eight other close associates of Muammar Qaddafi, added Rafini in comments carried by public radio. 

But Rafini said none of those known to have crossed over the border were being sought by the Hague-based war crimes court.



“As far as we are aware, none of the 32 in Niger are being sought on an arrest warrant or being pursued by international justice,” he said.

In Washington, Nuland confirmed that Saadi Qaddafi was not on the list of wanted individuals under U.N. Resolution 1970 but urged Niger to cooperate with Libya’s National Transitional Council on Qaddafi loyalists crossing over.



Niger “has made clear ... that it is prepared to cooperate,” she said. “We are encouraging dialogue between them.”



Muammar Qaddafi, his most prominent son, Seif al-Islam, and his intelligence chief, Abdullah al-Senussi, are all wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity.

The three generals in Niger include Al-Rifi Ali al-Sharif, Qaddafi’s air force chief, his bodyguard Ali Khana, who was also chief of forces in Awbari in southern Libya, and another regional military commander from the south, Niger officials have said.



Rafini voiced serious concerns about the effects the Libyan conflict would have on his country – already grappling with unrest linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).



AQIM, which emerged out of an Algerian radical group, has several bases in Mali, from where it launches operations in the Sahel desert region, carrying out attacks, kidnapping foreigners and trafficking drugs.



“All the arms depots in Libya have been opened, many people have helped themselves and many weapons have gone from Libya to neighboring countries for ends that are certainly not peaceful,” Rafini said.