Trial of senior officials to proceed

An official source said that the Attorney General's office in Libya has referred two defendants — Mohamed Belkacem El Zwai, who headed the so-called “General People's Congress” in the era of Gaddafi and Abdel Ati al-Obeidi, who was Tripoli’s Criminal Court Foreign Minister. Both their trials have been scheduled for 10 September. The spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, Taha Baara said in a statement that the charges directed to the defendants were financial and not related to the events of the 17 February revolution. However, Baara added that a comprehensive file will also be prepared for all the other crimes that were committed by the defendants during their governmental positions. The trial of Gaddafi's Head of Intelligence, Abuzaid Dorda, currently continues in Tripoli. Dorda faces charges related to attempts to stand against the revolution, which overthrew Gaddafi and his regime. Mohamed Belkacem El Zwai has held several posts during the reign of Gaddafi, including the Ministry of Justice and the Ambassador in Britain, as well as Libya’s representative to the United Nations and Libya’s Ambassador to Morocco. Abdel Ati al-Obeidi also has held several ministerial posts including Ambassador to Italy and an Official of European Affairs at the Foreign Ministry, again during Gaddafi’s regime.