The family of a tyrant

Rebel troops entered Tripoli, the Libyan capitol, on Aug. 21. Three days later the revolutionaries seized Gaddafi’s compound in Bab al-Azizi. 

Pictures and videos showing the rebels entering the super-luxurious houses of Gaddafi’s sons and daughter spread over the Internet, but the Gaddafi family had already fled the capital.

Following the speeches of the members of Gaddafi’s family, they show they had inherited not only billions of dollars from their father, but that they also had much of their father’s mentality and personality.

Moammar Gaddafi, Libya’s former dictator, married twice and has eight biological children, seven of them sons.

Each of his children held an official position in the former Libyan government, and all of them, with the exception of his eldest son Muhammad and his daughter Aisha, commanded a brigade in the Libyan army. 

The exact wealth of the Gaddafi family is still unknown, but estimations come to about $100 billion, $30 billion of which is frozen by the United States alone.

Due to the tribal nature of Libya, the Al Qazazfa tribe and the Gaddafi family in particular controlled nearly everything in Libya, from politics to the economy, and even sports.

Saif al-Islam is the most famous of Gaddafi’s sons due to his harsh statements against the revolutionaries, in which he promised them a “river of blood.”

The New York Times described al-Islam last year as “the western-friendly face of Libya and symbol of its hopes for reform and openness.” 

The rest of Gaddafi’s sons had their share, too, in the brutal attempt to suppress the revolution. Five of them commanded brigades of special forces. Khamis Gaddafi was in charge of the feared elite Khamis brigade of the Libyan army. 

Al-Saadi Gaddafi, who was long known as a professional football player, commanded a brigade of special forces, too. Most of the brigade had been destroyed by NATO aircrafts. 

Al-Moatassem-Billah Gaddafi, who served as Libya’s National Security Adviser, was seen as a possible successor of his father. A succession battle was speculated between him and Saif al-Islam. 

Surprisingly, Moatassem spent years in Egypt after allegedly plotting to oust his father. At that time, he said he had done that for the good of the Libyans. 

Time showed he is not much different from his father.

Even Hannibal, who was well known for his fiery temper, led a division of the Libyan army during the civil war. 

His actions led to a diplomatic war between Libya and Switzerland two years ago after being imprisoned by the Swiss police for assaulting his servants at a Swiss hotel. 

Muhammad Gaddafi is the only one of Gaddafi’s sons who had no military training. But he, too, helped his father in suppressing the Libyan revolution in his own way. 

Aisha, Gaddafi’s only daughter, is a high-powered attorney. Her experience in defending Saddam Hussein against allegations of crimes against humanity is likely to prove useful in the coming period.

The Algerian government announced on Aug. 29 that Gaddafi’s wife and his two sons Muhammad and Hannibal, along with Aisha, had crossed into Algeria and were welcomed for “humanitarian reasons.” 

Al-Saadi was reported to enter Niger on Sept. 11. The location of the remainder of the Gaddafi family is still unknown. 

While Gaddafi and his seven living children are still free, Libyans are calling for their trials. 

How long will they be running without paying for their crimes against Libya and its people? I hope not too long.

Adham Hagag is a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering from Egypt. Follow him on Twitter @AdhamHagag.