Gaddafi’s son released on bail after 10 years in a Lebanon prison

Lebanese authorities released the son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on Monday after he paid a US$900,000 bail, ending his 10-year detention for allegedly withholding information about a missing Lebanese cleric, security officials and a member of his defence team said.

One of Hannibal Gaddafi’s lawyers, Charbel Milad al-Khoury, told Associated Press that Gaddafi was released on Monday evening after necessary paperwork was finished. Two security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, also confirmed that Gaddafi was set free.

“Hannibal is officially free and has the full right to choose the destination that he wants,” al-Khoury said. He refused to give further details about Gaddafi’s future movements out of security concerns.

The release came days after Lebanese authorities lifted a travel ban and reduced the bail for Hannibal Gaddafi, paving the way for his release.

Thursday’s decision by the country’s judicial authorities to lift the travel ban and reduce the bail from US$11 million came days after a Libyan delegation visited Lebanon and made progress in talks for the release of Gaddafi.