Detained UAE national murdered in Libya: Official

By Jabbour Dokn

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) - A national of the United Arab Emirates -- detained by the Libyan authorities in 2015 for alleged espionage -- has been murdered by a Libyan intelligence agent, according to prosecution authorities in Tripoli.

The announcement was made at a Wednesday press conference held by Al-Sidiq al-Sour, head of investigations for the Libyan attorney-general’s office (affiliated with Libya’s UN-backed unity government).

According to al-Sour, the Emirati national -- whose name was not released -- was arrested in Tripoli in 2015 for suspected espionage.

He was later abducted from his place of detention, however, and killed by a Libyan intelligence agent, al-Sour said.

Al-Sour did not mention when or where the incident took place, but said the intelligence agent had been killed in a subsequent shootout with Libyan security forces.

According to the official, prosecution authorities are now investigating the motives behind the man’s murder and plan to prosecute anyone found to be involved.

Anadolu Agency was unable to obtain immediate comment from the UAE authorities regarding al-Sour’s assertions.