President Doris Leuthard has said the Swiss authorities acted correctly in considering plans for a military operation to free two Swiss hostages detained in Libya.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Speaking at a press conference to squash rumours circulating about the planned rescue mission, Leuthard said the foreign and defence ministries had been commissioned to report on the planned mission.
The cabinet discussed the plans on March 22 and concluded that it was “right that the agencies responsible envisaged such action while hostages had been taken”. But the plans were never acted upon.
The cabinet also decided that in the future the departments involved should be informed of such action at an early stage.
The cabinet strongly condemned leaks to the media on the issue. Details about the mission had been classified as secret and so the leaks were a criminal offence, Leuthard said.
Several scenarios involving “exfiltration” have been reported in Swiss newspapers, but none has been confirmed by the government.
They centred on freeing Swiss nationals Max Göldi and Rachid Hamdani. The pair were arrested in Tripoli in July 2008, days after the arrest in Geneva of Hannibal Gaddafi, a son of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, and his wife, on charges of abusing their staff.
Göldi and Hamdani were prevented from leaving Libya, abducted and taken to court for visa irregularities. Hamdani was released in February this year, but Göldi had to serve a four-month prison sentence, only returning to Switzerland last week.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss considered springing hostages in Libya
This content was published on
Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey said in an interview with the Tages-Anzeiger and Bund newspapers that “all options” had been closely examined. The discussions resulted from the 2008 arrest by Geneva police of Hannibal Gaddafi, son of Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi, and his wife, who were charged with abusing their staff in a hotel. They were…
This content was published on
The talks in the Spanish capital Madrid came as legal action against Libya over its detention of two Swiss citizens during the diplomatic spat was mooted in Switzerland. The last of the two hostages, Swiss businessman Max Göldi, arrived back in Switzerland on Monday after almost two years in detention. A Spanish official was reported…
This content was published on
Swiss exports to Libya plunged 45 per cent last year and imports from the African state fared even worse – down by more than three-quarters. Libyan oil supplies have also plummeted while banks have seen massive withdrawals. These are the economic consequences of a diplomatic fallout between the two countries that followed the arrest of…
This content was published on
On September 1, 1969, a small group of military officers led by then 27-year-old army officer Moammar Gaddafi overthrew Libya’s King Idris’ government. The revolutionary officers abolished the monarchy, and proclaimed the new republic. Gaddafi is to this day, referred to as the “Brother Leader and Guide of the Revolution” in government statements and the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.