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TRIPOLI. — Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was freed yesterday morning, a few hours after being seized by armed men. Zeidan was freed late in the morning and taken back to Corinthia Hotel where he resided in downtown Tripoli, security source told Xinhua. Zeidan was held at the Interior Ministry’s Anti-crime department before being released, a source said, adding that he was in “good health and being treated well.”

Up to 150 armed men arrived at the Corinthia Hotel in pick-up trucks very early in the morning yesterday and took away Zeidan and his two guards. A group of rebels, believed to be hired by the government to maintain security in Tripoli, said in a statement that Zeidan was “lawfully” arrested for alleged bribery. However, Justice Minister Salah Marghani denied issuing any “assignment” to arrest Zeidan.

The seizure came amid accusations that Zeidan had previous knowledge of the US raid in Tripoli to capture alleged al-Qaida suspect Abu Anas Al-Libi on October 5.

The US move stirred anger among Libya’s powerful Islamic militant groups, while several groups accused Zeidan as an accomplice of the US operation. — Xinhua.