Hassan Yaaqoub in Hospital as Warrant Issued against his Brother

Former MP Hassan Yaaqoub, who has been in detention since December, remained in hospital on Tuesday as a judge issued an arrest warrant against his brother in the kidnapping of Hannibal Gadhafi, the son of slain Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Mount Lebanon Examining Magistrate Peter Jermanous issued the warrant against Hussein Yaaqoub after hearing his testimony, which came only hours after the ex-lawmaker was taken to Beirut General Hospital amid high security measures after suffering a heart attack.

The ex-lawwaker's hospitalization came the same day his mother was taken to Hotel Dieu Hospital after complaining of chest pain and partial paralysis in her arm.

Sheikha Imthal fell ill when her son Hussein was apprehended at the Rafik Hariri International Airport before boarding a flight based on a judicial arrest warrant.

Hassan Yacoub was charged in December for his involvement in Gadhafi's abduction.

Hannibal was abducted in a Syrian area near the Lebanese border on December 11 before being smuggled into Lebanon's Bekaa region. He was handed over hours later to Lebanese security forces.

Lebanese authorities have charged Hannibal with withholding information about the disappearance of revered Shiite cleric and founder of the AMAL Movement Moussa al-Sadr, who vanished in Libya in 1978 along with two companions.

The Yaaqoub brothers are the sons of Sheikh Mohammed Yaaqoub – one of the two companions who disappeared with al-Sadr in Libya.

G.K.

D.A.