L
LequteMan
Guest
Gunmen seized Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan from a Tripoli hotel on October 10, before he was later released. He appeared on television hours later to accuse a political party of being behind the attempted "coup".
Ten days later, Libyan security chief and head of an interior ministry anti-crime unit, AbdelMonem Essid during a news conference in Tripoli claimed credit for the operation, saying: "It was me who arrested Ali Zeidan, and I'm proud of it,"
Trying to justify the “arrest”, Essid alleged Zeidan was involved in two drugs cases and corruption, saying "Drugs were seized from Ali Zeidan's car in June," adding that there was "no evidence that Zeidan enjoys immunity".
Two Islamist members of the General National Congress, Mohammed al-Kilani and Mustafa al-Triki, had called for the news conference to deny their involvement in the brief abduction.
Essid's outburst was met with ridicule on social media networks, with some users calling his statement a "joke".
The two Islamist politicians, for their part, said Zeidan had singled them out only to "cover up his failure" in running the country.
They acknowledged trying to bring down Zeidan's government, but added they were unable to garner enough support in the Congress.
Zeidan said on Sunday the three men were among the leaders of the "kidnapping," and the government indicated it was a matter for the judiciary.
