Tripoli, Nov 20 (ANI): The trial of Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif-al-Islam, in Libya could reportedly embarrass some of the influential British figures, including Duke of York, Prince Andrew and the country's former Prime Minister Tony Blair if he reveals details of the close links he enjoyed with them.
The 39-year-old former playboy and womaniser was captured trying to flee across the border into Niger. A mob of angry protesters tried to storm the plane, but were beaten back by soldiers under orders to keep their prisoner alive so he could face justice.
According to the Daily Mail, Prince Andrew was a regular visitor to Tripoli as a trade ambassador and is reported to have played host to Saif at Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Lord Powell, the former adviser to Margaret Thatcher and John Major, chaired a company that agreed construction deals in Libya.
Another person linked to Saif, who is a graduate from the London School of Economics (LSE), is Nat Rothschild, of the banking dynasty, who has business interests in Libya. In 2008, Saif was a guest at a party thrown by Rothschild at his New York home. He was later a guest at a shooting party at Rothschild's British country home and also stayed at the family's villa in Corfu.
Lord Mandelson, then Labour's Business Secretary, was also a guest at the villa and has admitted discussing with Saif the fate of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Al Megrahi, who was later released from prison in Scotland because of failing health.
But the main effort to forge closer links with Gaddafi's Libya was led by Blair. In August 2003, Tripoli agreed to compensate the Lockerbie victims and accepted responsibility for its involvement in the atrocity.
Five days later, Blair introduced a UN resolution to lift sanctions against the pariah state. The following year, he embraced Colonel Gaddafi when they met in the Colonel's tent near Tripoli to discuss bilateral relations.
Although there were talks that Saif would be tried at the International Criminal Court (ICC), Libya's Justice Minister said that he would now be put on trial in his homeland for crimes that carry the death penalty, including instigating others to kill and misusing public funds.
Mohammed Al Alagy said: "We are ready to prosecute him. We have adopted enough legal and judicial procedures to ensure a fair trial for him." (ANI)
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