Rebel national transitional council head Mustafa Abdul Jalil confirmed Saif Al Islam’s capture: “We have confirmed information that our guys have captured Saif Al Islam.” EMAN EL-SHENAWI – AL ARABIYA – AGENCIES
Muammar Qaddafi’s presidential guard has surrendered to Libya’s rebels, Al Arabiya reported on Sunday, citing the rebel National Transitional Council after reports came in that the rebels captured Muammar Qaddafi’s son, Saif Al-Islam during their strategic advance on Tripoli. Rebel national transitional council head Mustafa Abdul Jalil confirmed Saif Al Islam’s capture: “We have confirmed information that our guys have captured Saif Al Islam.” “We have given instructions to treat him well so that he can face trial.” In an interview with Al Arabiya TV earlier on Sunday, Mr. Abdul Jalil said if rebels were to capture Saif Al Islam they would treat him in accordance to international conventions and allow to be tried freely and fairly in a civil court. “We will be dealing with them like any other prisoners [in Libya] according to international conventions, and we will give them a fair trial, much like former Presidents who are now being tried in civil courts,” he said in reference to recently ousted former leaders in the Arab world facing trials for corruption. Libyan rebels have been closing in on Tripoli since Saturday night in a series of explosions and gunfire battles with forces loyal to the Qaddafi regime. The unrest in the Libyan capital provoked the embattled Libyan leader to speak out on Sunday. In an audio message broadcast on Libyan state TV, Colonel Qaddafi said he would stay in Tripoli “until the end” and called on his supporters around the country to help liberate the capital from a rebel offensive. “The time is now to fight for your politics, your oil, your land,” he said. “I am with you in Tripoli – together until the ends of the earth,” Col. Qaddafi shouted. Col. Qaddafi added that he was “afraid that Tripoli will burn” and said he would provide weapons to supporters to fight off the rebels. Meanwhile, the United States is closely watching the events in Tripoli and urged on Sunday that the National Transitional Council (TNC) to start planning for the post-Qaddafi era in Libya. “Clearly the offensive for Tripoli is under way,” State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said in a statement. “We continue efforts to encourage the TNC to maintain broad outreach across all segments of Libyan society and to plan for post-Qaddafi Libya. Qaddafi’s days are numbered. If Qaddafi cared about the welfare of the Libyan people, he would step down now.”
