Govt. Recognizes Libya Rebel Council, Tasks FM with Following Up Sadr Case

Lebanon on Tuesday recognized Libya’s rebel National Transitional Council, which has almost taken full control of Libya and ended the 42-year reign of strongman Moammar Gadhafi, acting information minister Wael Abu Faour said after a cabinet meeting.

Briefing reporters after cabinet’s session in Beiteddine, Abu Faour said the government also decided to task Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour with discussing the case of the disappearance of Imam Moussa Sadr and his companions with the leaders of Libya’s new government.

Regarded by Lebanon's Shiites as a key spiritual guide, Sadr vanished in 1978 amid mysterious circumstances and was last seen in Libya where he was invited by Gadhafi.

At the time, Sadr was trying to negotiate an end to the Lebanese civil war (1975-1990), in which Palestinian factions were involved.

Gadhafi was believed to be shipping weapons to the Palestinians and other groups and Sadr, according to reports, was hoping to convince the Libyan leader to refrain from stoking the unrest in Lebanon.

But his visit to Tripoli along with two aides, Mohammed Yacoub and Abbas Badreddine, took a sour turn after he got into a heated argument with Gadhafi who ordered that the three men be "taken away," according to an indictment against the Libyan leader issued by Lebanese authorities.

Libyan authorities have stated that the three officials left Tripoli to Italy, who after conducting an investigation in the matter denied the claims.

In 2004, the passports of Sadr and Yacoub were found in a hotel in Rome.

In August 2008, Lebanon issued arrest warrants against Gadhafi and some of his aides, accusing them of kidnapping Sadr and his companions.

Relations between Libya and Lebanon have been at a low point since the cleric's disappearance, which dealt a heavy blow to the Shiite community.