Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat – Prominent Gaddafi aide, Major General Beshir al-Saghir Hawady, has revealed to Asharq Al-Awsat that ousted Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi threatened to kill him, and wipe his hometown off the map, if he refused to participate in the Libyan operation to mobilize public support for the Gaddafi regime, in the face of the Libyan rebels advance.
Major General Hawady, who is being held by the newly-recognized Libyan National Transitional Council [NTC] in Misrata, along with former Libyan Intelligence Chief Colonel Youssef Abdel-Qadir al-Dabari, stressed that Gaddafi had threatened to wipe his hometown of Waddan, located 600 km south of Tripoli, off the map if he refused to follow orders, adding that the ousted Libyan leader had carried out similar threats before.
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat from inside his prison cell in Misrata, Major General Hawady told Asharq Al-Awsat that “I was forced to do some things [as a result of this threat], however I did not participate whatsoever in the targeted killing of civilians” adding that “it was completely natural that I should fear Gaddafi wiping my hometown out of existence, for he was truly going to do this.”
As for his part in the Gaddafi regimes attempts to crush the popular Libyan uprising, Hawady stressed that “I did not have any military responsibilities whatsoever, I was only assigned civilian work, and I took part in the operation to convince people not to resort to violence and to protect Libyan security and stability” adding that “I did not serve the Gaddafi regime, but rather I served my country Libya.”
Major General Beshir al-Saghir Hawady played a prominent role in the Libyan revolution which initially brought Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to power in 1969, overthrowing the regime of King Idris. He was a member of the 12-person Libyan Revolutionary Command Council that was chaired by Gaddafi following the revolution, and later served as Libyan Minister of Religious Affairs.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that the ousted Libyan leader had telephoned him and ordered him to participate in the operation to calm the people of Libya with regards to the popular revolt being staged against the Gaddafi regime. Major General Hawady stressed that “operationally speaking, I have not held a political or military position for a long time, and my relationship with Gaddafi was not good in any case.”
He also revealed that he, along with his colleague former Libyan Intelligence Chief Colonel Youssef Abdel-Qadir al-Dabari, had surrendered themselves to the NTC following communication guaranteeing their security. He added that they were being treated well by the Libyan rebels.
It is not yet known whether the NTC will bring Major General Hawady and Colonel al-Dabari to trial, or whether they will be released following investigations that are ongoing at the present time.
Major General Hawady also denied knowing Gaddafi’s current whereabouts, saying that he has not seen him since 25 May 2011.
Another Gaddafi aide is facing an equally uncertain future. Gaddafi’s close ally and adviser, Major General Khuwailidi al-Humaidi, who fled Libya for Tunisia after Tripoli had been over-run, reportedly suffered a heart attack yesterday, resulting in him being transferred – under heavy guard – to a hospital in Tunis. Al-Humaidi is set to appear before the Tunisian courts on charges of illegally entering the country.
Al-Humaidi also reportedly did not hold any official political or executive office in Gaddafi’s Libya, but did enjoy extremely close relations with the Gaddafi family, being Al-Saadi Gaddafi’s father-in-law. It was this close relationship that placed Al-Humaidi in NATO’s cross-hairs, and the al-Humaidi home was targeted by NATO during the Libyan conflict, resulting in the reported death of his daughter-in-law and three of his grandchildren. NATO later said that this attack was on a legitimate military target, as the al-Humaidi house was being used as a Gaddafi Command Centre.
Asharq Al-Awsat also received information that General Massoud Abdel Hafiz, the commanding officer of the loyalist Gaddafi troops in central and southern Libya, has announced the establishment of the breakaway Republic of Fezzan. This will include the areas of Libya currently under Gaddafi country, including Bani Walid and Sabha, in addition to the strategically important city of Brega.
Fezzan is a south-western region of modern Libya which is largely made up of deserts and mountains. The majority of Fezzan remains under Gaddafi control, due mostly to its inhospitable climate and geography.
Asharq Al-Awsat spoke with a Libyan citizen in Sabha via satellite phone, who revealed that General Abdel Hafiz had announced that Colonel Gaddafi would be president for life of this breakaway republic, and that he is working to convince friendly African countries to officially recognize it.