Russia has entered the communications line in the file of Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi, as the Syrian regime is pressuring for his release three years following his detention in Lebanon on charges of concealing information about the disappearance of the founder of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council, Imam Moussa Sadr during a visit to Libya in August 1978.
Sources close to the matter told Asharq Al-Awsat that Moscow has decided to work on this file at the request of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, brother of Hannibal, who currently resides in a mountainous area of Libya, under the protection of loyal tribal groups.
The sources revealed that Saif al-Islam, who “maintains a good relationship, even by correspondence, with Moscow,” sent his representatives to the Russian capital, asking officials to intervene to release his brother who was arrested in Lebanon on charges of concealing information that is punishable by a maximum of three years of imprisonment.
Lebanese sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the Director-General of the General Security, Major General Abbas Ibrahim, had conveyed a message in this regard to Speaker Nabih Berri, and that Ibrahim met with Gaddafi at his detention cell in the Information Division prison.
Political sources noted that efforts have intensified for the release of Hannibal so he will be able to reunite with his family (his Lebanese wife Helene Skaff and his three children), who were staying with him in Damascus on the day he was kidnapped more than three years ago.
The sources added that Lebanese officials responded to the request of Moscow “and made contacts that remained secret, to inquire about the reasons behind the continued detention of Gaddafi.”
The sources said they believe that his case was "political par excellence"; especially that the forensic investigator in Sadr’s disappearance case did not investigate with him for more than a year.
