Lebanese court asks Libyan leader Gaddafi to appear for questioning

Feb 27, 2008, 17:47 GMT

Beirut - A Lebanese court has asked Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi to appear for questioning over the disappearance of Lebanese Shiite leader Imam Mussa Sadr 30 years ago.

According to sources in the Lebanese Justice Palace, the summons posted outside the court gave judges the right to issue an arrest warrant if the summons goes unanswered for two months.

Sadr, a well-known Shiite leader who founded the opposition Amal movement now led by parliament speaker Nabih Berri, disappeared in Libya with two companions Mohammed Yacoub and Abbas Badreddin in 1978.

There has been no news about the whereabouts of the three men since then. The court issued the summons in a private suit brought by the three men's families.

Libya has said that the three left for Italy on August 31, 1978 after their stay in Tripoli and that they disappeared outside Libyan territory.

Italy has repeatedly told Lebanon that it will provide every assistance with its investigation.

Amal's current leader Berri has also called on the government, the United Nations and the Arab League to help determine the fate of the three men.

Berri and his close ally Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah have accused the Libyan leader of knowing the whereabouts of Imam Sadr and held him responsible for his disappearance.