NATO Strike Killed Gadhafi’s Son, Three Grandkids

Officials Say Gadhafi Was Present During Strike But Uninjured

by Jason Ditz, April 30, 2011

According to Libyan government officials, a NATO air strike which destroyed a home in Tripoli killed Moammar Gadhafi’s youngest son, Saif al-Arab al-Gadhafi, as well as three of his grandchildren. Officials also claimed Gadhafi himself was present during the strike, but escaped unharmed.

NATO denied targeting either of them, saying what they blew up was a “command centre” and not a residence. Libyan rebels celebrated in Benghazi. Officials for the rebel faction claimed the story was probably a trick to try to garner sympathy. The White House claimed to be aware of the reports but to have no information beyond this.

Saif al-Arab (not to be confused with Saif al-Islam al-Gadhafi, Moammar’s second son) was the least public of the long-time dictator’s children, and spent much of the past several years as a student in Germany. There have been no reports of him attending pro-regime rallies or making public statements in favor of his father’s rule.

Indeed, the most high profile incident the slain Gadhafi was ever involved in came in 2008, when his Ferrari was impounded by German police because of a noisy exhaust. The strike, along with the bombing of a school for disabled children, suggest NATO’s escalation of the war is leading to more questionable targets being chosen.

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