LIBYA: Former oil chief Shokri Ghanem, a top figure in the Muammar Gaddafi era, was laid to rest at a cemetery in Tripoli days after his mysterious death in Austria

Record ID: 860892

  • Title: LIBYA: Former oil chief Shokri Ghanem, a top figure in the Muammar Gaddafi era, was laid to rest at a cemetery in Tripoli days after his mysterious death in Austria
  • Date: 5th May 2012
  • Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (MAY 4, 2012) (REUTERS) PEOPLE STANDING OUTSIDE MUNAYDER CEMETERY, LARGEST CEMETERY IN TRIPOLI SIGN FOR MUNAYDER CEMETERY AND ISLAMIC CENTRE MEN CARRYING COFFIN CONTAINING BODY OF FORMER OIL CHIEF SHOKRI GHANEM INTO PRAYER AREA GHANEM'S COFFIN IN FRONT OF CROWD VARIOUS OF PRAYERS IN PROGRESS VARIOUS OF RELATIVES AND PEOPLE PAYING TRIBUTE TO GHANEM CARRYING COFFIN THROUGH TO THE CEMETERY PEOPLE WALKING THROUGH GATE VARIOUS OF MOURNERS WALKING IN CEMETERY / SHRUBS COFFIN BEING REMOVED FOR ISLAMIC BURIAL VARIOUS OF GRAVES AT CEMETERY PEOPLE AT CEMETERY
  • Embargoed: 20th May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Libya
  • City:
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5JOZBOVBDMEHSGF3UX7RI23NG
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Hundreds attended the burial of Libya's former oil chief Shokri Ghanem in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Friday (May 4).
    Ghanem's body, which was found floating in the river Danube in Austria last Sunday (April 29), arrived back in Tripoli on Thursday (May 3).
    The coffin was draped in an embroidered white cloth with relatives and mourners praying before he was buried in accordance to Islamic burial practises.
    Austrian police said they have no reason to suspect foul play but the circumstances surrounding Ghanem's death remain under investigation.
    Ghanem, who was wanted in Libya for questioning in a graft inquiry, was a former Libyan prime minister who also ran the Libyan oil industry before defecting a year ago during the uprising that toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi.
    That made him privy to potentially damaging information on oil deals with Western governments and oil firms.
    Ghanem would have had enemies among Gaddafi's opponents because of his years at the centre of power, as well as among the late leader's friends and kin because of his decision to defect.
    No senior officials attended the burial.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register