The CIA worked closely with Moammar Gadhafi’s intelligence services in the rendition of terror suspects to Libya for interrogation, according to documents that could spark tensions between Washington and Libya’s new rulers.
The CIA was among a number of foreign intelligence services that worked with Libya’s agencies, according to documents found at a Libyan security agency building in Tripoli.
The discovery came as the Libyan rebels said they would surround pro-Gadhafi cities until the September 10 deadline for their surrender.
“We are by the grace of God in a position of strength, capable of entering any city, to deploy any of our fighters in any direction,” the head of the rebels’ National Transitional Council, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, told reporters in Benghazi. “However, in our desire to avoid bloodshed and to avoid more destruction to public properties, we have given an ultimatum of one week to the areas of Sirte, Bani Walid, Jufra and Sabha.”
“It is an opportunity for these cities to peacefully join the revolution,” he said, adding the rebels were providing humanitarian aid to the besieged areas along with water and electricity services.
The intelligence documents found in Tripoli, meanwhile, provided new details on the ties between Western countries and Gadhafi’s regime. Many of those same countries backed the Nato attacks that helped Libya’s rebels force Gadhafi from power.
One case is that of Abdel-Hakim Belhaj, commander of the anti-Gadhafi rebel force that now controls Tripoli. Belhaj is the former leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, a now-dissolved militant group with links to al-Qaeda.