Libyan cleric unveils new political party on lines of 'moderate' Islamic law

Tripoli, Nov 10 (ANI): Senior Muslim clerics in Libya are forming a new political party intending to rule the country on the "moderate" Islamic laws successfully used in both Turkey and Tunisia.

Dr Ali al-Sallabi, the cleric seen as the figurehead of Libya's Islamist movement, said in an exclusive interview with the Telegraph, a provisional manifesto had already won support from some of the country's most important political and religious leaders.

He said his movement supported basing Libya's constitution on Sharia law, but that it would be moderate and pursue democratic politics on the model of similar parties in Turkey and Tunisia.

"This is not an Islamist party but a nationalist party," the paper quoted Dr Sallabi, as saying.

"But its political agenda respects the general principles of Islam and Libyan culture," he added.

According to the paper, its provisional name, The National Gathering for Freedom, Justice and Development, is a nod both to Turkey's ruling party, the Justice and Development Party, and that set up by the Muslim Brotherhood in neighbouring Egypt, the Freedom and Justice Party.Like those parties, and the Islamist Ennahda that won Tunisia's first post-Arab Spring election, the party's sole ideology is to win mass support.

Al-Sallabi, who spent eight years Libya's most notorious prison Abu Salim, also denied reports that he would stand for president himself but confirmed his long-predicted move into secular politics. (ANI)