Libya Rebel Envoys Meet Jumblat, Vow to Follow Up Sadr Case

Progressive Socialist Party leader MP Walid Jumblat held talks Wednesday at his Clemenceau residence with a delegation from Libya’s rebel National Transitional Council, in the presence of ministers Ghazi Aridi and Wael Abu Faour and the PSP’s deputy chief for foreign affairs Dureid Yaghi.

Delegation member Abdullah al-Zaidani handed Jumblat an invitation to visit Libya and a letter of gratitude from National Transitional Council chief Mustafa Abdul Jalil.

“I want first to extend gratitude and appreciation, in the name of the Libyan people and the National Transitional Council, to the people and government of Lebanon for their support and solidarity with the cause of the Libyan people who are facing the fiercest and most dangerous crimes against humanity,” Abdul Jalil says in his letter.

“Lebanon’s stance at the United Nations and the Arab League was honorable and clear and it deserves our utmost appreciation and respect.”

Following the talks, Zaidani said: “I salute you in the name of the great Libyan people, we came for a special visit to Walid Beik, this great Arab man who has a special place in our hearts and who benefits us with his great ideas and opinions.”

“We will visit President Michel Suleiman tomorrow (Thursday) at noon. Around two weeks ago we had visited Speaker Nabih Berri and the president as well,” Zaidani added.

Asked about the case of the 1978 disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr and his two companions in Libya, the rebel envoy said: “We tackled this issue with presidents Suleiman and Berri and Walid Beik. This issue concerns us more than it concerns the brothers in the Shiite sect and, God willing, the whole truth will be unveiled.”

For his part, Jumblat said that he would visit Libya “soon,” when asked by reporters about that possibility.

Lebanon on Tuesday recognized Libya’s rebel National Transitional Council, which has almost taken full control of Libya and ended the 42-year reign of strongman Moammar Gadhafi.

The Lebanese government also tasked Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour with following up the case of Imam Sadr with the leaders of Libya’s new government.

Regarded by Lebanon's Shiites as a key spiritual and political guide, Sadr vanished in 1978 amid mysterious circumstances and was last seen in Libya where he was invited by Gadhafi.

At the time, Sadr was trying to negotiate an end to the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), in which Palestinian factions were involved.

Gadhafi was believed to be shipping weapons to the Palestinians and other groups and Sadr, according to reports, was hoping to convince the Libyan leader to refrain from stoking the unrest in Lebanon.

But his visit to Tripoli along with two aides, Mohammed Yacoub and Abbas Badreddine, took a sour turn after he got into a heated argument with Gadhafi who ordered that the three men be "taken away," according to an indictment against the Libyan leader issued by Lebanese authorities.

Libyan authorities have stated that the three officials left Tripoli to Italy, who after conducting an investigation in the matter denied the claims.

In 2004, the passports of Sadr and Yacoub were found in a hotel in Rome.

In August 2008, Lebanon issued arrest warrants against Gadhafi and some of his aides, accusing them of kidnapping Sadr and his companions.

Relations between Libya and Lebanon have been at a low point since the cleric's disappearance, which dealt a heavy blow to the Shiite community.