Since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been ruled by chaos. Only a month ago Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was briefly kidnapped. Recently, in Paris, Zeidan spoke about extremists, Sharia and the security situation. Excerpts:
What can you say about the recent shooting of the American teacher in Benghazi? What you will do about it?
It is a crime [and] I will do everything possible to prosecute them, arrest them and bring them to justice.
Has there been any progress in apprehending the killers of American ambassador Chris Stevens?
We have some suspects who are being investigated. While the investigation is under way, we cannot divulge any information. At a certain point in time, we might even invite US investigators to take part in the process, when the circumstances in Benghazi allow it.
There have been recent protests against the militias in Tripoli, Benghazi and Darnah. Do you see this as an opening for your government?
Yes, this is a positive development for us. ... In the past, there were different views concerning the militias and ... demilitarisation of these militias. Some viewed militias in a positive light, but now people believe they are dangerous and [that] we should leave the weapons in the hands of the police force and the army.
What do you believe?
I’ve always believed that the weapons should be the prerogative of the police and the army. In my mind, the revolution ended with the end of Gaddafi, and the state should be established now. However, we should appease the street.
Do you mean the Islamic street?
No, I’m talking about the Libyan street.
But some people in Libya want the militias to leave, while others support the militias.
There are a few ideological people who belong to some Islamic groups — a couple of hundred, not even thousands. They want to take over the country.
So it’s your government versus the Islamists?
There are extremist Islamists who see this as a last opportunity for them. They are extremists who lost in many countries, but in Libya they want to establish a state.
Are you talking about Al Qaida?
Al Qaida and all the others in the same direction.
Reportedly, Al Qaida has training camps in Libya. Is this so?
I can’t say precisely, but there are Takfiri — those Muslims who believe the others are not true believers.
Are they coming from abroad?
Some of them.
You were kidnapped in October.
It was a game that was orchestrated by extremists.
Who were they working for? Some allege that they were aligned with forces in your government.
Not in the government but in the country.
So then who was it that kidnapped you?
Extremists. They told me they were members of the Libya Revolutionaries Operations Room.
How did you get out of it?
Within five minutes, the news was all over the place. People came and tried to destroy them.
Didn’t your Congress pass a law recently making Sharia the law of the land?
They said as a principle that Sharia is the main source of legislation. It was just for a while — to ease the tension.
Are you against this?
Legislation should be done in a way that does not go against the Sharia. There are different conceptions as far as Sharia is concerned. There is not one single opinion. Extremists would uphold one single opinion and say this is the true path.
Isn’t it a big problem for your government that the federalists have control of the oil?
Obviously, it is a major problem, but we have to deal with the issue with wisdom. If we have no other choice ... we will use force.
The general-purpose force that the United States and Great Britain [and others] are creating and training — how long will it take to come into being?
A couple of months.
While you are waiting for the general-purpose force ... how do you protect your ministers, your buildings and yourself?
We have an army, we have a police force that is deployed in the streets. And we are training [new forces].
But militias go right into the parliament — they seem to control the country.
No. It is true that they are there, but it is not true that they are controlling the situation. They have some might and they want to take over things. We are trying to reach a situation where they cannot take over the country. If they were capable of doing so, they would have done it already.
Was it a mistake to start paying the militias? Should that be stopped?
It is not my mistake. The former government faced a fait accompli. When Gaddafi[‘s rule] ended, there was no government. There was nothing. The National Transitional Council received the power. They had to deal with matters day by day.
So they had no choice but to put the militias on the payroll?
Yes, and then when I came, I said we have to pay with cheques to see who is going to receive the money.
So you’re sure who is getting the money?
Yes, and so we won’t pay anybody by cash anymore. At that time, they were very upset. They told me, “you closed the tap of the money”, and “you are our enemy”.
Do you have to try as much as you can to disarm the militias and turn them into a national force?
Yes, this is our plan.
Has the US let you down? What would you like to see the US do?
We have to stand on our own two legs. The United States helped us from the beginning, but we can’t expect from the others what we wish.
What is your wish? What would you like the US to do?
Help us disarm the militias, for example.
If outsiders don’t help you, will you be able to disarm so many militias?
It will be difficult.
Then what happens? Does Libya become a failed state?
I don’t think so. Libyans, if they organise their power and are united, they can solve any problem.
Is Al Qaida planting roots in Libya?
I can’t say so because they are rejected by the people.
But aren’t a lot of Libyans going to fight in Syria?
This is said, but we cannot possibly confirm it.
Aren’t there jihadist training camps in Libya?
No. There are no permanent camps, but they might stay for one or two days to train.
You were criticised by the Islamists for going to visit General [Abdul Fatah Al] Sissi in Egypt after [Mohammad] Mursi’s ouster.
It is true that they might criticise me, but I didn’t visit Mr Sissi — please write Mr Sissi — as such, I visited a neighbouring country. It is my duty to have normal relations with our neighbours. If I closed the door, I would face a lot of problems.
It seems like a dangerous job to be prime minister of Libya. Do you worry?
I am not worried. But I started this struggle 35 years ago.
People criticise you for being weak. What do you say to those people?
I am very strong. I know the situation. Does strong mean using a gun? No, you have to use your wisdom to control the situation and to go through it. ... For example, when the kidnappers came to my room, the first thing I told my guards was: “Don’t shoot. Don’t use the guns.” And even [though] there were about five guns at my head before they dragged me from my room, I dealt with them as friends.
–Washington Post
