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TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Abdel Hakim Belhadj, one of Libya's most powerfulmilitia leaders, is quitting to devote himself full-time topolitics, an aide said on Monday, in a vote of confidence for thefragile transition from rebellion to democracy. Belhadj, a former Islamist militant who helped topple former Libyanleader Muammar Gaddafi in last year's revolt, is to resign his postas head of the Tripoli Military Council and set up a politicalparty, his aide said. His party is unlikely to be able to register in time for Libya'sfirst ever election on June 19, for a transitional assembly whichwill draft a constitution. But with Islamists gaining in influence since Gaddafi's overthrow,Belhadj's party will be well placed to compete in fresh electionsto be scheduled by the new assembly. "He will announce his political party," Anis Al-Sharif, head ofBelhadj's office, told Reuters, adding that Belhadj had sent aletter to the ruling National Transitional Council on hisresignation. "He also feels that the revolutionaries have done their job to oustthe Gaddafi regime and now it's time to rebuild Libya, to move to apolitical state," he said. The military council will meet to elect a replacement for Belhadj,the aide said. Belhadj is a former leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group,which waged an insurgency against Gaddafi in the 1990s. He spenttime with Islamist militants in Afghanistan, though he said he wasnot allied with Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda. He was captured, detained by British and U.S. intelligenceservices, and sent to Libya in 2004, where he was jailed. Herenounced violence and was released from jail a few months beforethe uprising against Gaddafi's 42-year rule. After rebel fighters expelled Gaddafi's forces from the capital,Tripoli, Belhadj became head of the Tripoli Military Council, aheavily armed force of about 25,000 men. It was among the most powerful of the volunteer militias which haveheld real power in Libya in the vacuum left by Gaddafi's downfall.In the past few months, though, it has ceded some functions to thenewly created national police and army. Belhadj ran the operation from a suite of rooms at the RadissonHotel, overlooking Tripoli's port. Initially he held meetings incamouflage fatigues, but later swapped those for a suit as he triedto re-model himself as a civilian leader. Lawyers acting for Belhadj are suing the British government, itsintelligence services and a former British foreign minister, overhis transfer back to Libya in 2004. Belhadj alleges that Britain colluded in his "rendition" fromMalaysia, where he was arrested in 2004, back to Libya, even thoughBritish officials knew he faced torture at home. (Reporting by Ali Shuaib; Writing by Christian Lowe ; Editing by Michael Roddy). We are high quality suppliers, our products such as Line Interactive UPS , Outdoor UPS Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits High Frequency Online UPS.
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