Tripoli: A Libyan court of appeals has acquitted Saadi Qaddafi, a son of former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi, of murdering a football coach in 2005, a judicial source said Wednesday.
The court’s criminal chamber acquitted Saadi Qaddafi on Tuesday of charges of “voluntary homicide,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
The former ruler’s son was accused of murdering Bashir Al-Rayani, a former footballer and coach of Tripoli’s Al-Ittihad football club, where Qaddafi played, in 2005.
The judicial source added that the ministry of justice asked the supreme court Wednesday to submit an update on the other cases involving Qaddafi.
Extradited from Niger on March 6, 2014, Qaddafi is also being tried, among others, for alleged involvement in the deadly crackdown on the revolt that toppled his father’s regime in 2011. The case has repeatedly been postponed.
Rayani’s son, Ali, took to local media to denounce the court’s ruling, saying his family would appeal the decision “until justice is served.”
“The case is clear. All the evidence and testimony confirm the responsibility of Saadi Qaddafi,” Ali Al-Rayani told the 218News channel.
“How is it possible that a criminal whose culpability is confirmed by concrete evidence can be acquitted... It’s impossible!” he said.
“We could not get justice under his father’s regime, we will get it now, I’m confident!“
Of Qaddafi’s seven sons, three died were killed during the uprising, as was their father.
After playing with Libyan clubs, Saadi Qaddafi signed in 2003 with Italy’s Perugia club, whose management took him on at the request of then Italian president Silvio Berlusconi, who had close ties with the Libyan regime.
But even though he was a part of the team, Saadi Qaddafi rarely stepped foot on the field, appearing only twice on the substitutes’ bench.
He was suspended for three months in his second season with the team for doping.
His greatest achievement was playing 15 minutes against Juventus in May 2004.
In June 2005, he joined Udinese, with whom he played 11 minutes. The following year he joined Sampdoria of Genoa, where he played less than 10 minutes all season.
Libya court acquits Saadi Qaddafi of murdering football coach
Libya court acquits Saadi Qaddafi of murdering football coach
- Son of Muammar Qaddafi was accused of murdering Tripoli Al-Ittihad coach Bashir Al-Rayani
- Saadi Qaddafi also being tried for crackdown on revolt that toppled his father's regime
US announces ‘large-scale’ strikes against Daesh in Syria
- CENTCOM said operation ordered by President Donald Trump
- Launched in response to the deadly Dec. 13 Daesh attack in Palmyra
WASHINGTON: US and allied forces carried out “large-scale” strikes against the Daesh group in Syria on Saturday in response to an attack last month that left three Americans dead, the US military said.
“The strikes today targeted Daesh throughout Syria” and were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched “in direct response to the deadly Daesh attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra, Syria” on December 13, US Central Command said in a statement on X.
CENTCOM said the operation was ordered by President Donald Trump following the ambush and is aimed at “root(ing) out Islamic terrorism against our warfighters, prevent(ing) future attacks, and protect(ing) American and partner forces in the region.”
The statement continued: “If you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” adding that US and coalition forces remain “resolute in pursuing terrorists who seek to harm the United States.”
The statement did not note whether anyone was killed in the strikes. The Pentagon declined to comment on more details and the State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
About 1,000 US troops remain in Syria, while Syria has been cooperating with a US-led coalition against Daesh, reaching an agreement late last year when President Ahmed Al-Sharaa visited the White House.
* With Agencies
