Prime Minister Hesham Qandil met with several of his ministers today to discuss Libya’s demand that Egypt hand over figures associated with the former Muammar Qadhafi regime.
"Egypt supports the right of the Libyan people to try these individuals and safeguard the rights of its people," Justice Minister Ahmed Mekki told Al-Masry Al-Youm after the meeting Monday.
Egypt asked the Libyan authorities to provide more information about the wanted individuals and state the charges levied against them before they move to extradite.
The Foreign Ministry had announced in March that it was in talks with the Libyan authorities regarding the matter, after a request made by Libyan Attorney General Abdel Aziz al-Hassady.
In response, Public Prosecutor Abdel Meguid Mahmoud added Libyan figures suspected to be living in Egypt to a travel ban list as a precautionary measure until authorities determine if they are in the country.
The London-based Al-Hayat newspaper said on 2 March that Hassady had submitted a file to Egypt containing the accusations leveled at the absent officials.
The paper quoted Hassady as saying there are 40 Libyan officials that require extradition. The paper said Ahmed Qadhaf al-Dam, Qadhafi’s cousin and former general coordinator for Egypt-Libya relations; Omran Bukra, the former head of Arab affairs at the Libyan foreign ministry; and Nasser Mabrouk, a former interior minister, are among the wanted Libyan officials.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
