By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

A PLOT was hatched for deposed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s son to escape to The Bahamas during Libya’s revolutionary civil war.

According to bodyguards for Colonel Gaddafi’s third son, Al-Saadi Gaddafi, The Bahamas was shortlisted for the former football player's exile as rebels fought to bring an end to his father’s four-decade-long rule.

In an interview with ABC Lateline, private security contractor Gary Peters said: “The Bahamas was approached, and Trinidad was approached, and the last one was Mexico.

“Those ones didn’t work from our end because we couldn't obtain legal documents for travel, entry into those countries. That's why they didn't go through.”

Protests against Colonel Gaddafi’s rule began in February last year with the uprising establishing political structure in the form of the National Transitional Council (NTC).

The opposition led to a civil war, and arrest warrants for Colonel Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and his brother-in-law Abdullah Senussi alleging crimes against humanity were issued by Interpol and the International Criminal Court.

Colonel Gaddafi was captured alive in Sirte by members of the Libyan National Liberation Army (NLA) and killed in October.

One month before his father’s death, Al-Saadi was granted asylum in Niger on ‘humanitarian grounds’. During the war, he served as a commander of Libya’s Special Forces.

According to Mr Peters, the initial plan sought to relocate Al-Saadi to Venezuela due to the close personal relationship between Colonel Gaddafi and President Hugo Chavez. However, the option was dropped as a result of the international travel ban imposed by the UN Security Council.

Yesterday, Bahamas former Minister of National Security Tommy Turnquest said the government was not approached to host the dictator’s son, and if asked, would have denied the request.

Mr Turnquest said: “The decision would be not to accept, it wouldn't be in the best interest of The Bahamas. If we were asked that would have been our position.”

Minister of State for National Security Keith Bell did not return calls yesterday.