Libya 17 Dec 2015 00:00
In August 2011, a group of militiamen, who were fighting against the Libyan president Mummer Kadhafi, entered the house of Kadhafi’s youngest son, Hannibal, in Tripoli, and found a tablet device which they believe was his personal device.
The device was turned over to a group of media activists in Tripoli, who examined the content. On the device they found thousands of photos and videos, including personal and family images. In a folder titled “Bosleem” there were videos that appeared to show prisoners being tortured during questioning, and photos of what are believed to be prisoners including their names, some appearing to be injured. The content also included Word documents and power point presentations some of which are encrypted.
The media activists have posted on social media a number of photos of Hannibal Kadhadi and his family, and several videos of prisoners being tortured. The activists group says one of its members was kidnapped and his fate remains unknown. Since then they have felt that they are in danger and have had to change locations frequently. They decided to move the content of the device outside of Libya. They contacted Lebanese journalist Mohamad Chreyteh, and one the the activists travelled to Lebanon in 2014 and gave the journalist the content.
Mr. Chreyteh says he has been working on organizing and verifying the content over the last year. He says he decided to make some of the content public on Sunday December 13, 2015, after hearing news that Hannibal Kadhafi is being held in detention. Kadhafi was turned over to Lebanese Internal Security official by gunmen who had seized him in Baalbek on Thursday December 10. Kadhafi is under investigation and official are trying to determine if he can be put on trial in Lebanon, in connection with the disappearance in Libya of Lebanese Shiaa spiritual leader and founder of the Amal Party, Moussa al-Sadr, in 1978.
The content includes many items that have not yet been made public:
- More than 700 photos and videos, of Hannibal Kadhafi, his wife, children, homes, yacht, private jet and international travels.
- More than 1700 photos and names of who are believed to be detainees held at Bosleem prison in Tripoli.
- More than 50 video clips showing what appears to be the interrogation and torture of prisoners.
- More than 35 documents including letters from investigators in Kadhafi’s security forces to senior officials, lists with names of wanted people, lists with names of detainees, lists with names of people recommended to be set free, notes detailing prisoner interrogations, letter from a senior military police official to a senior judge.
