Gadhafi Spokesman Captured Near Sirte; Niger Won’t Extradite Son Saadi

Moussa Ibrahim, the former spokesman of the regime of deposed Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, was captured Thursday night outside the town of Sirte, according to officials of the National Transitional Council.

According to the Daily Telegraph of Britain, unconfirmed reports suggested that Ibrahim was disguised in women’s clothes in an attempt to escaper Sirte, which has witnessed heavy fighting in recent days between Gadhafi loyalists and NTC soldiers. NTC forces have seized the airport in Sirte, one of the last parts of Libya that was believed to be loyal to Gadhafi.

His whereabouts had been a mystery for weeks.

Ibrahim was a familiar figure during the early days of the revolt in Libya, steadily defending Gadhafi and his regime to foreign reports at the luxurious Rixos Hotel in Tripoli, while condemning NATO.

Separately, Interpol has issued an arrest warrant for Gadhafi’s son Saadi, who is believed to have escaped to Niger in West Africa. However, a spokesman for Niger’s president said Saadi is living under house arrest in Niamey, the country’s capital.

Moreover, Niger’s Prime Minister Brigi Rafini said Gadhafi's son Saadi will not be extradited.

Speaking in the western French town of Saint-Brieuc, Rafini said: “Saadi Gadhafi is in safety, in security in Niamey, in the hands of the Niger government. There's no question of him being extradited to Libya for the moment. We need to be sure he will be allowed a fair defense. Are those conditions in place today? No.

Interpol stated that Saadi is wanted for allegedly misappropriating properties through force and armed intimidation when he headed the Libyan Football Federation.

As the commander of military units allegedly involved in the repression of demonstrations by civilians during Libya’s uprising, Saadi Gadhafi is also subject to a U.N. travel ban and assets freeze, the police agency said.