Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of ex-Libyan leader, reportedly shot dead
BBC News1 day
Libya: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Assassinated at Home
Was Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Libya's hope for peace or a war criminal who threatened his own people?
Above: Saif al-Islam Gaddafi at his father's residential complex in Tripoli on Aug. 23, 2011. Image credit: Imed Lamloum/AFP/Getty Images
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's assassination marks the deliberate murder of Libya's best hope for peace and unity. Foreign powers orchestrated this treacherous killing to prevent national reconciliation and maintain their colonial exploitation of Libyan oil. His death ensures continued bloodshed and division, serving only external interests that fear a sovereign, united Libya.
Pro-establishment narrative
Saif was a war criminal sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, not a unifying figure. He publicly threatened to crush peaceful protesters and told Libyans, "We either rule you, or we kill you" during the 2011 uprising. His divisive legacy and ICC indictment made him ineligible for leadership, signifying an autocratic era that ended with his father's brutal regime.