Rebels place bounty on Qaddafi, dead or alive

Muammar Qaddafi over rebels and Libya rebels flags

/ CBS/AP

Whoever finds Muammar Qaddafi -- dead or alive -- stands to be considerably wealthy.

Agence France Presse reported Wednesday that rebels have offered a $1.7 million bounty for the capture of the Libyan ruler, whose current whereabouts are unknown.

"The [National Transitional Council] supports the initiative of businessmen who are offering two million dinars for the capture of Muammar Qaddafi, dead or alive," said Mustafa Abdel Jalil, chief of the NTC.

Abdel Jalil also extended an offer of amnesty to "members of [Qaddafi's] close circle who kill him or capture him," AFP reported.

However, finding the elusive Qaddafi has not been easy. It has been reported that Qaddafi has deep bunkers under his Tripoli compound , which is also connected through tunnels as part of a hidden network.

Qaddafi flees, but vows "victory or martyrdom"
Qaddafi's many hideouts help him elude rebels

"There are so many rat holes in Tripoli. We are searching for him in the holes," said rebel military spokesman Col. Ahmed Bani.

Qaddafi, who has survived a reported 52 assassination attempts, boasted weeks ago on television: "I am in a place where you can't reach me. ... I live in the hearts of the millions."

If the strongman is captured, it is unclear where or how justice will be meted out. In an article written by Open Society's Allison Cole for The Guardian, the International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo reportedly has contacted the National Transitional Council regarding Qaddafi, who along with his son Saif and a former head of military intelligence, is being sought on war crimes charges, presumably for prosecution at the Hague.

But Jalil has said that the "prevailing thought" among the rebels is that Qaddafi and his allies should be tried instead in Libya, according to CNN -- possibly setting up the debate on who has jurisdiction over trying Qaddafi. Of course, depending on how the hunt for Qaddafi unfolds, he could be killed outright.

For now, the question remains finding him. And it doesn't appear that Qaddafi is ready to give up. On Wednesday, Qaddafi broadcasted a message that he would fight on "until victory or martyrdom."

[jgg000101]

so where were these libyan "businessmen" who are now offering the $1.7M bounty before the US borrowed $1B from china?

[lucifersshadow]

He is all bravado, saying he is going to make a stand, but that is probably just cover for his deciding to run like a rabbit.

[formrusmcsgt]

IllegalsAreBankruptingUs...not really.

What's bankrupting us are two stupid wars and the trillions borrowed to fight same and the juice on those trillions.....

[formrusmcsgt]

Qaddafi broadcasted a message that he would fight on "until victory or martyrdom."
---
That can be accomodated....

[samXXkiley]

coucou,
Qaddafi,is bluffing, his era is over, he knows,
his sudden statements are intended to create a diversion
"au revoir"

[lucifersshadow]

He will be found now . . . . just a matter of time.

[anonymous010]

There should be no debate on jurisdiction for any possible Qaddafi trial - his crimes against Libyans are far greater than his crimes against the rest of the world. I say let them have him - if they can find him, that is.

[IllegalsAreBankruptingUs]

Where are they supposedly getting the money? Probably US taxpayers...

[signseeker1717]

The bounty is being offered by an anonymous Benghazi businessman. Since Libya is an oil-rich nation with $160 BILLION in frozen assets that are gradually being released to the National Transitional Council, I think they've got that base covered.