Militia holds Libyan Airlines chief hostage in Tripoli

Libyan Airlines chairman Fathi Al-Shatti was seized by armed men nearly three weeks ago and is allegedly being held without charge at a base of the Rada Deterence Force, a local militia which controls the Mitiga Airport in Libya. Oscar Nkala reports.

The force, which is led by Abdul Raouf Kara, has allegedly turned down all requests from Shatti’s family and lawyer for permission to see him.

Sources at Mitiga Airport said Al-Shatti was seized after he turned down demands by two Libya Airlines pilots and other members of staff to be transferred to the airline’s offices in Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.

“This is kidnapping in the name of the law. If Al-Shatti has a case to answer, then he should be properly charged and tried in a court of law," the source told the Libya Herald, a Tripoli-based daily.

In October last year, Al-Shatti was kidnapped and when held for nine weeks before release. The kidnapping appeared to be connected to power-struggles within the troubled airline. In January 2016, he survived a kidnapping attempt in Tripoli.