The Full Story of the Arrest of Senoussi

Mauritania is set to hand over, to France Abdullah Senoussi, the former Libya Intelligence Head in the era of the toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

Echorouk reporter in Mauritania, Sid Ahmed Ould Bab, was told the story of the arrest of the right hand of Gaddafi, by a top government official, on condition of anonymity. Mr Senoussi is being held in the Congress Palace in the capital Nouakchott, pending being handed over to France. The source assumed that the former intelligence officer was set up by a plan conducted by Mauritania President, Mohammed Ould Abdelaziz, France and Morocco. He said Senoussi fled Libya after the fall of Tripoli, and headed down to Mali, where he found safe refuge at Touareg tribes, with who he had strong ties. He was, then, forced to leave northern Mali, after the spark of the armed conflict between Touareg rebels and the Malian army. He decided to enter Morocco with a fake Malian passport, and stayed in a hotel in Casa Blanca, for a couple of weeks, before being recognized by French indicators there. France informed Morocco about the issue, requiring extraditing the Libyan second man to France, the source indicated, adding that Rabat rejected the request, to avoid being embarrassed, mostly as both Algeria and Tunisia have already rejected handing over some Libyan officials. Yet, Rabat accepted to cooperate with French intelligence to capture Senoussi out of Morocco. The plot was to push Senoussi to leave to Mauritania, in a predetermined destination where he would be arrested. Mauritania President played his role by establishing secret contacts with some close friends of Senoussi, to invite him to come to Mauritania, where he would be given safe refuge. The man accepted the offer, given that he was run out of money, and could no more afford staying in a hotel. Mauritania sent some of its detectives to Casa Blanca to prepare the coming of Senoussi to Nouakshot ahead of handing him over to French Intelligence. The man arrived to Nouakshot on Friday (16 March) with his son on board of a Morocco Royal Airline flight. He was escorted by detectives to a house belonging to security services, where he was informed that he is under arrest. But his arrest immediately raised questions as to where he would be tried. The ICC urged Mauritania to send him to The Hague, while the French government said it wanted him extradited to France, citing his alleged role in the 1989 bombing of an airliner over Niger in which 54 French nationals died. Libya also said it wanted to extradite Senoussi.