CIA Rendered Rebel Commander To Libya At Qaddafi Request

Apparent Central Intelligence Agency communiques to now-deposed Libyan dictator Col. Muammar Qaddafi obtained by the New York Times and Human Rights Watch (HRW) indicate that the CIA rendered Abdelhakim Belhadj to Libya at the request of Qaddafi’s intelligence agency in 2004. Belhadj, who has a militant extremist past but is now the rebel commander in charge of Tripoli, says he was tortured while in CIA and Libyan custody. Asked for Belhaj, an apparent CIA caseworker wrote the CIA was “committed to developing this relationship” with Libyan intelligence. Two days later, an officer wrote the CIA was “planning to take control of [Belhadj and his pregnant wife] in Bangkok and place them on our aircraft for a flight to your country.” The Times couldn’t verify the documents, which were found by journalists and HRW in a binder marked CIA at Qaddafi’s intelligence headquarters.