The false announcement of Seif Al-Islam’s capture was simply a ploy to make it easier for the rebels to take control of Tripoli, according to rebel sources.
“They wanted to trick Gaddafi’s forces into laying down their arms and running away,” a Maltese source with very good connections to the rebels claimed.
“They knew Seif Al-Islam was holed up somewhere and would not be able to deny the report for quite a few hours,” he added, saying the decision was taken despite the risk of it backfiring. A Libyan man living in Malta also told The Times this was a “trick” but that it was intended to challenge Seif Al-Islam into giving up his location.
Both sources asked to remain anonymous since the Transitional National Council has not yet confirmed these claims. Seif Al-Islam, long seen as the heir to his father Muammar Gaddafi’s crumbling throne, was said to have been arrested late on Sunday night – a claim substantiated by the International Criminal Court. But he reappeared just a day later, to the world’s surprise, and denied he had been captured.
The claims by rebel sources could simply be attempts at damage control, since the incident cast doubt on the credibility of the rebels. According to a Maltese former military adviser, who also preferred to remain unnamed, it was more likely to have been the result of rebels getting “carried away” as they entered Tripoli with a huge adrenaline rush.
He could not think of a similar case in history where such a big lie was told as part of a prepared strategy.
“There’s a lot of bluff and double bluff going on from both sides,” he said, explaining this was more likely to be a result of misinformation and things getting lost in translation in the heat of the moment.
“Maybe they caught one of the sons and thought the other two were bound to be part of the package,” he said, adding that the news would have spread fast because it raised morale.
However, even though this may have been a blow to the motivation of Gaddafi’s forces and inspired Tripoli residents to stream into the streets and express their allegiances to the rebels, at that point it may not have done the rebels any favours in the long run.
“If you don’t always tell the truth, people will doubt you next time you say anything. You lose more than you gain by playing this sort of game. I think it is bad PR,” the former military adviser added.
“Seif Al-Islam’s sudden appearance became even more sensational and scored more headlines than his ‘arrest’.”
As the fast-paced events in Tripoli overshadow this surreal incident, it remains to be seen whether the events leading up to the false announcement will ever be established.