Saif al-Islam Gaddafi
© Sputnik/ Vladimir FedorenkoSaif al-Islam Gaddafi
Saif al-Islam, who many Libyans regard as the only hope for bringing peace to their country, will rely on ordinary people who are eager to fight against terrorism and stabilize the state, his family lawyer has told Sputnik.

"The current situation in Libya, the absence of any dialogue and the misunderstanding of the real states of affairs require Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to return to politics and try to find a political settlement between the conflicting parties in the country," Khalid al Zaidi told Sputnik Arabic.

There have been frequent reports, he said, that the son of the late Libyan leader Muamar Gaddafi had left Libya, but this is not true. He maintains contacts with the country's leaders, representatives of different tribes, trying to find a political solution to the ongoing crisis and reconcile the opposing parties.

"His efforts favorably differ from the ongoing negotiations in Tunisia, where the negotiators are making deals with each other and defending their own interests instead of protecting ordinary Libyans and seeking stability in the country," the lawyer said.

The existing negotiations, he continued, are being used to further the plans of foreign countries, which only benefit from the prolonged Libyan crisis. Libyans expect nothing from these talks, which have not yielded any results in seven years. They lead only to suffering, war, destruction and famine.

Saif al-Islam Gaddafi enjoys the support of the common people and certain armed groups rather than that of dubious political forces, he said.

"All Libyans are now well-armed, all tribes have solid arsenals in their possession. Saif al-Islam will rely on the striving of ordinary Libyans to fight against terrorism and stabilize the situation in the country. The majority of tribes expect him to start acting. He remains the only hope for the majority of the country's residents," Khalid al Zaidi said.

Commenting on the current whereabouts of Muammar Gaddafi's son, the lawyer said that he doesn't stay in one place all the time, he travels around the country, meeting with different people and tribes. He refuted claims that Saif al-Islam had escaped to Egypt or elsewhere. "He has never left and will never leave Libya," the lawyer concluded.

Fate of Gaddafi Family

The long-standing Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was killed back in 2011, following the civil unrest in the country, which stemmed from the Arab Spring protests, which in turn were supported by the intervention of a coalition of several western states. Afterwards, reports suggested that some of his family members, who enjoyed wealth and privilege during his time in power, had either fled the country, were killed or face trial.

Six years ago, amid the collapse of the Libyan government, The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague issued an arrest warrant against Saif al-Islam, Gaddafi's second son, and wanted him to stand trial for the "crimes against humanity" during the 2011 uprising.

In November same year, he was captured by the Abu Bakr al-Siddiq militants in the Libyan western city of Zintan. In June this year, he was released from captivity following a request from the Tobruk-based government in eastern Libya.

Before the revolt, Saif al-Islam, a graduate from London School of Economics, was seen by many as a potential successor to his father. Despite holding no official government position, he was referred to as "de-facto" Prime Minister responsible for public relations and diplomacy.

Mutassim Gaddafi, National Security Adviser, the leader's fourth son, was killed at the hands of rebels on the same day as his father.

Saadi Gaddafi, Gaddafi's third son, was extradited from Niger, where he had sought asylum, in 2014, and is awaiting trial in Tripoli.

Muhammad Gaddafi, former head of the Libyan Olympic Committee and chairman of the company which controlled Libya's mobile phone and satellite communications networks, had reportedly fled to Algeria in 2011 with his mother and sister and later moved to Oman, as well as Hannibal Gaddafi, who controlled Libya's maritime industry and seaports.