Libyan sources told Russia’s Sputnik news agency that Washington has asked the Government of National Unity (GNU) to hand over Abdullah Al-Senussi, the Intelligence Chief during the era of late leader Muammar Gaddafi.
The sources warned that some Libyan tribes will escalate the situation against the GNU in the coming days if political prisoners are not released.
A number of southern Libyan tribes have recently warned the government against harming Major General Abdullah Al-Senussi. The tribes also condemned the extradition of former intelligence officer, Abu Ajila Masoud to the United States. “We refuse to hand over everyone in prison, otherwise Fezzan will have its word and cut off everything, and we demand the departure of failed governments,” they said in a statement on Saturday.
“We give the government 48 hours to hand our sons over to the Libyan tribes, otherwise we will cut off oil and gas supplies, and we will arrest all those that contributed to the sale of the country and the people. We warn against harming Abdullah Al-Senussi, Abdullah Mansour, Mansour Daou, Ahmed Ibrahim, and all prisoners. We demand that Abu Ajila Masoud be returned to his family,” the statement read.
According to Sputnik, the sources added that the tribes’ warnings came after confirmed information about the government’s intention to hand over Al-Senussi after the handover of Abu Ajila Masoud.
Ashraf Abdel-Fattah, a member of the Supreme Council of Libyan Tribes told Sputnik that the Libyan tribes are “serious in their warnings about the possible extradition of Al-Senussi.”
He added that the tribes “could resort to closing each of the man-made river valves, the main roads between cities, as well as the oil fields.”
Abdel-Fattah warned against attempting to extradite Al-Senussi, “especially since the case was closed based on an agreement and compensation paid in the past. The Libyan people look at the extradition of Abu Ajila as high treason. The people could take to the streets, and unexpected clashes could happen,” he warned.