Qaddafi’s family eludes NTC custody

While the search for the missing Muammar Qaddafi continues in vain, 32 members of his family were able to escape National Transitionary Council capture and cross into neighboring Algeria.

Among the party was Qaddafi’s second wife Safia, his daughter Aisha and two of his sons, Hannibal and Mohammed. Aisha gave birth to a daughter shortly after arriving. They made their escape in a convoy of armored Mercedes limousines, leaving from the town of Bani Walid, a stronghold where a significant number of regime members are currently located.

They escaped using a road not yet under NTC control and crossed over through an isolated border post in the Algerian town of Tinkarine, having traversed the length of the country north to south. They were accepted by the Algerian government after about 12 hours of deliberation.

This diplomatic approval of their actions by the Algerian government has been labeled an “enemy act” by the NTC’s interior minister. The Algerian government says it is acting on humanitarian grounds, but the NTC fears this could lead to Algeria becoming the location for the regrouping of the old Libyan regime, as well as a launching point for a counter-revolution.

Although the Algerian government promises this will not be the case, and that it will hand over Qaddafi himself to the International Crimes Court if he attempts to cross, pressure has been mounting for the return of at least Hannibal and Mohammed for their involvement in embezzling immense amounts of money from Libyan government departments.

The facility of the escape by this group of highly wanted individuals — in such a conspicuous mode of transportation as a six black limousines in the middle of the desert — shows the NTC might not have as strong a hold on the country as it would have the rest of the world to believe.

The control of the coast and the capital of Tripoli is evidence of their prowess, but these developments show the regime has not given up the fight for control just yet.