Ibn al Sheikh al Libi

Sheikh al-Libi, the ‘informer’ whose false statements – obtained by torture – were used to justify the Iraq war, is now reported to have died in custody in Libya.

Ibn al Sheikh al Libi was tortured by the CIA into stating that Saddam Hussein was connected to al Qaeda, thus justifying the invasion of Iraq. When his statements proved false, al Libi was ‘disappeared’ by the US to the worst prison in Libya – a country renowned for its human rights abuses.

It is thought that al Libi was sent to Libya – rather than Guantanamo Bay – in order to suppress his story and avoid further embarrassment to the USA.

We are now told that al Libi committed suicide in his Libyan prison. However, Reprieve has good reason to believe that he may have died from untreated tuberculosis that developed during his years in US custody.

Al-Libi was originally tortured aboard a US prison ship before being sent to Egypt for further abuse, and eventually to Libya.