Libyan prime minister kidnapped at gunpoint

Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was kidnapped from his hotel in Tripoli and detained by militia. The motives of the capture remain unclear.

11:13 10 October 2013

On Thursday, Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was kidnapped at gunpoint from his hotel in Tripoli and detained by militia. An official with the department said that he is being held at the interior ministry and being “treated well.”

Libyan politician Guma El Gamaty told the BBC: "Accusations have been pointed at the prime minister that there is some sort of a collusion - that the prime minister knew in advance that Abu Anas al-Liby was going to be kidnapped.”

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the capture and called for Mr Zeidan's immediate release.

"It is vital that the process of political transition in Libya is maintained. The government and people of Libya have our full support at this concerning time.”

The group responsible for the capture of the prime minister claim that they were following a prosecutor's warrant, but the government has denied this, sparking a debate over the group’s possible alliance with the government and the kidnap of their own official.

The Libyan government has been put under pressure after Saturday’s US commando raid in Tripoli which seized senior al-Qaeda member Anaa al-Liby.

Despite US Secretary of State John Kerry deeming the action “legal”, critics considered this as a breach of Libyan sovereignty and several groups want to know if the Libyan government has any involvement.