Shots fired as police in Cairo arrest Gaddafi aide

Published on 20/03/2013 00:00

Egyptian security forces arrested a close aide of ousted Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar al-Gaddafi yesterday following a siege at his Cairo home, a security official and witnesses said.

Ahmed Qaddaf al-Dam surrendered to Egyptian security forces after shots were fired. An intelligence official under Gaddafi, Qaddaf al-Dam is among dozens wanted for their roles in Libya’s 2011 civil war that ended with Gaddafi’s death.

Police surrounded Qaddaf al-Dam home in the Cairo neighbourhood of Zamalek before dawn yesterday. Gunshots were heard during the siege, but it was unclear who fired at whom.

The official said three policemen were wounded.

In Tripoli, members of the interim Libyan parliament applauded when the news of the arrest was read aloud.

Egyptian authorities issued a warrant for Qaddaf al-Dam’s arrest after Interpol issued a “red notice” to extradite him to Libya to face corruption charges, along with former Libyan ambassador Ali Mahmoud Maria and former government official Mohamed Ali Ibrahim.

Egyptian police arrested them yesterday in other neighbourhoods of Cairo. They surrendered without resistance. Officials said Qaddaf al-Dam may face prosecution by Egyptian ­authorities for resisting arrest.

Qaddaf al-Dam was a high-profile figure under Gaddafi. After arriving in Egypt in 2011, Qaddaf al-Dam initially claimed he had defected, however he took a more neutral stance just weeks later, fuelling suspicion in Libya that he was still working for Gaddafi – an accusation he has denied.

Libya has asked Egypt to hand over dozens of Libyans affiliated with the Gaddafi regime.