Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is the most prominent son of the slain Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. He is a major political figure in Libya and was part of his father’s inner circle. Saif was rumored to be a possible successor to his father, and he was often seen as the country’s de facto prime minister during his father’s reign.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi biography
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is the second son of Gaddafi and his second wife Safia Farkash. He was born on June 25, 1972 in Tripoli, Libya.
He attended Al Fateh University in Tripoli and in 1994 he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. However, conflicting reports state that Saif al-Islam earned a degree in architecture. In 2000, a few years after graduating, he obtained an MBA from the IMADEC Business School in Vienna.
Prior to his MBA, Saif al-Islam had founded a charity, the Gaddafi International Foundation for Charity Associations, which played a significant role in his political rise in the country. The NGO intervened in the crisis of the HIV process in Libya and the resulting rapprochement between the European Union and Libya. It was also instrumental in the negotiations that led to Libya’s abandonment of its weapons of mass destruction program in 2002–2003.
In 2008, under controversial circumstances, he received his PhD from the London School of Economics. There have been allegations that Saif’s thesis, “The Role of Civil Society in the Democratization of Global Governance Institutions: From ‘Soft Power’ to Collective Decision Making?” was, in many parts, ghostwritten.
After the Arab Spring and Libyan civilians’ war of 2011, which resulted in the death of his father and some siblings, Saif al-Islam went into hiding. Other members of his family had fled the country to Algeria and then to Oman, where they were granted asylum.
He was the last member of the Gaddaf family to remain in the countryside and had promised to stay to fight to the end and take revenge. However, he later decided to flee. He was captured trying to enter Niger.
Family, siblings, girlfriend
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi has a total of 10 siblings. A half-brother Muhammad Gaddafi, born in 1970, from his father’s first marriage. Six are biological and two are adopted. They are Al-Saadi Gaddafi, born in 1973, Mutassim Gaddafi, born in 1974 and died in 2011, Hannibal Muammar Gaddafi, born in 1975, Ayesha Gaddafi, born in 1976, Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, born in 1982 and died in 2011, and Khamis Gaddafi, born in 1983 and also died in 2011. The adopted siblings are Hana Gaddafi and Milad Gaddafi.
Saif al-Islam was in a relationship with Israeli actress and model Orly Weinerman. The couple had kept their relationship a secret for a while, and Orly once publicly denied knowing Saif.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi Net Worth
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi’s exact fortune is unknown, but he is said to be a very wealthy man, even in captivity. He owns some properties and businesses around the world, particularly in London, UK which remain in the pocket.
However, some of these properties have been confiscated by authorities, particularly in Italy.
Fast Facts
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was released by the rebel group who captured and imprisoned him for over 6 years. It has been reported that he plans to hold elections in the country and hopes to unite the factions and restore peace and stability to the country that once prospered under his father’s rule.
He is an internationally recognized negotiator and influencer. He successfully negotiated compensation for families of victims of the Lockerbie bombing, the Berlin nightclub attack and UTA Flight 772, which detonated over the Sahara.
He also hosted peace talks between the Philippine government and Moro Islamic Liberation Front leaders. The talks resulted in a peace agreement, which was signed in 2001.
Saif al-Islam Gaddafi is still wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity in connection with crimes against his late father.