See:
Abdullah Al-Senussi Extradited to Libya From Mauritania
GNC Paid $200 Million Bribe to Mauritania After the ICC Requested Abdullah Senussi’s Extradition
The Libyan government struck a financial bargain with Mauritania prior to the handover of Abdullah Al-Senussi, promising increased investment in the impoverished West African state.
Muammar Qaddafi’s brother-in-law and former spy chief was flown back to Libya earlier today, having spent the past six months in custody in Mauritania.
He will now stand trial for a series of alleged crimes.
This afternoon, a senior government official told the Libya Herald that a financial agreement had been made with the authorities in Nouakchott, but rejected any suggestion of impropriety.
“We have agreed to increase the level of Libyan investment in Mauritania, but I cannot give a specific figure”, the official said. “However, there has been no direct financial payment to the Mauritanian government in exchange for Senussi’s release.”
Asked if the new investments were a direct response to Mauritania’s decision to hand over Senussi, the official replied, “of course”.
The official said that the investments would begin as soon as a new government was in place.
Unverified rumours have been circulating on Twitter that the Libyan government paid $200 million to Mauritania via a foreign bank.
Earlier today, government spokesman Nasser Al-Manaa said that a delegation had recently travelled to Nouakchott to negotiate Senussi’s release and that it had included Finance Minister Hassan Zaglam.
The Mauritanian government has said that its decision to authorise Senussi’s extradition was “on the basis of guarantees given by Libyan authorities”, without giving details.
It has long been believed in official circles in Tripoli that Nouakchott was using Senussi as a bargaining chip and that some sort of deal to secure his return to Libya was inevitable.
A similar agreement was reportedly struck with the Tunisian government in exchange for the extradition of Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, the former prime minister, back in June.
In that instance it was reported that Libya had offered Tunisia cut-price oil supplies along with a multi-million dollar investment.
Tunisia’s justice minister vigorously denied any suggestions of a financial deal at the time, insisting that “the extradition process took place after completion of all legal justifications by the relevant judicial authorities”.
Senussi extradited to Libya, transferred to Hadba Al-Khadra prison
Libya’s former spy chief and brother-in-law to Muammar Qaddafi has been extradited from Mauritania and has now arrived in Tripoli where he has been transferred to Hadba Al-Khadra prison.
“Senussi was flown into Metiga airbase early this afternoon and transferred by helicopter to Hadba Al-Khadra prison”, said Colonel Mohammed Gwaider, the prison governor.
Hadba Al-Khadra also holds a number of other prominent former regime members, including Abuzaid Dorda, Qaddafi’s former external intelligence chief, and Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi, his former prime minister.
Deputy Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagu secured an agreement in principal for Senussi’s extradition from the government in Nouakchott following a visit to Mauritania in May, and negotiations as to the details and timing of his return to Libya have been ongoing since.
The deputy prime minister is currently visiting the south of the country as part of reconciliation mission between tribal groups and it is reported that Senussi has been met by Justice Minister Ali Ashour Ehmida.
With Libya’s justice system still underdeveloped following the subsequent upheavals of last year’s revolution, rights groups have frequently aired their concerns that Senussi will not be afforded a fair trial in Libya.
¡VIVA LIBYA! 