Post date: Oct 20, 2012 10:34:33 PM
Libyans celebrate news of the arrest of Muammar Gaddafi's former spokesman Moussa Ibrahim, on the one year anniversary of the dictators capture and death.
TRIPOLI, LIBYA (OCTOBER 20, 2012) (REUTERS) - Libyan celebrated reports that militias had captured Muammar Gaddafi's former spokesman on Saturday (October 20), exactly a year after the dictator's death.
Moussa Ibrahim, who was the mouthpiece of the Gaddafi regime during last year's war, was caught in the town of Tarhouna, 70 kilometres (40 miles) south of Tripoli."Moussa Ibrahim has been arrested by forces belonging to the Libyan government in the town of Tarhouna and he is being transferred to Tripoli to begin interrogation," a statement from the prime minister's office said.
Scores of Libyans gathered at the main Martyrs' Square to celebrate the anniversary of Gaddafi's death and the recent capture of Ibrahim.
"The happy news that we heard today, of course I am indescribably happy. That is why I went out to Martyrs' Square happy and I can't describe my feelings. I thank God and I pray that God protects our country and keeps it safe. I pray God helps us get the other remnants to complete our joy," said one local resident.
Another local resident, Yossef Abu Abeed said:
"This is a happy moment which meets the anniversary of the death and capture of the biggest tyrant in history. Because God protected this revolution from the start, today in this anniversary, we have captured the horn who misled a lot of Libyans with the media as a weapon, namely Moussa Ibrahim."
The government has previously made false claims regarding the capture of Gaddafi loyalists, and produced no photographs on Saturday showing Ibrahim in detention.
His whereabouts have been unknown since the fall of the capital in August 2011. The government claimed to have caught him last October but he called Reuters to deny the report.
Fluent in English, Ibrahim would hold regular press conferences in the luxury Tripoli hotel were journalists stayed during last year's war.
Former revolutionary fighters have maintained Gaddafi loyalists have used the town ofBani Walid as a safe haven, protected by the large Warfala tribe which has historically been loyal to Gaddafi's tribe.