On Monday, Lebanese authorities released Hannibal Gadhafi, the son of the late Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, after he posted a bail of $900,000, concluding his decade-long detention linked to allegations of withholding information regarding the disappearance of a Lebanese cleric. This information was confirmed by security officials and a member of his legal team.
Charbel Milad al-Khoury, one of Gadhafi’s attorneys, informed the Associated Press that he was released in the evening once the necessary paperwork was completed. Two security officials, who wished to remain anonymous, also verified his release.
“Hannibal is officially free and has the full right to choose where he wants to go,” al-Khoury stated, though he declined to provide specifics about Gadhafi’s future plans due to security concerns.
The decision to release Gadhafi came shortly after the Lebanese government lifted a travel ban and reduced his bail from a previous amount of $11 million. This change followed a Libyan delegation’s visit to Lebanon, which contributed to discussions regarding Gadhafi’s release.
Earlier in October, a Lebanese judge had set Gadhafi’s bail at $11 million but prohibited him from leaving Lebanon. His legal team argued that he could not afford that sum and requested permission for him to exit the country. Following the recent judicial decision, his bail was lowered to 80 billion Lebanese pounds (approximately $900,000), and the travel ban was lifted, allowing him to depart once the bail was paid.
Gadhafi had been detained in Lebanon since 2015, accused of withholding information about the fate of Lebanese Shiite cleric Moussa al-Sadr, who vanished during a trip to Libya in 1978, when Gadhafi was just a toddler. Prior to his abduction, he had been living in exile in Syria with his Lebanese wife, Aline Skaf, and their children until he was captured by Lebanese militants seeking information about al-Sadr.
Lebanese police later reported that they had taken Gadhafi into custody in Baalbek, a northeastern city, and he had remained in a Beirut prison since then, facing inquiries concerning al-Sadr’s disappearance.
This case has long been a contentious issue in Lebanon. The family of al-Sadr believes he may still be alive in a Libyan prison, although many in Lebanon assume he has died. If he were alive today, he would be 96 years old. Al-Sadr, along with his companions Abbas Badreddine and Mohammed Yacoub, played a significant role as the founder of a Shiite political and military organization during the Lebanese Civil War, which began in 1975 and primarily involved conflicts between Muslims and Christians.
