Libya ambassador’s ‘double-agent’ role throughout revolution

Saadun Suayeh, the last ambassador of the Libyan state under deposed dictator Col. Muammar Gaddafi, says he is “relieved” to be able to finally talk about his role during the past six months, during which his people launched a revolution to oust Gaddafi.

Now back at the Libyan people’s embassy that flies the Libyan - and not the Green - flag on the roof, Saadun Suayeh greets me in his office now ornate in the crescent-clad green, black and red flag.

He reveals that he stayed on as ambassador because he knew that the regime would have to come through him for whatever was needed, and in fact it did.

“Tripoli had even sent over two ‘diplomats’ to oversee what I was doing here, and I managed to skive them and secretly meet with representatives of the Benghazi-based Transitional National Council, during which meeting we shared information and worked on strategies on the way forward.

In an interview with MaltaToday on Sunday, Suayeh reveals how he deceived Tripoli into passing on sensitive information on important cargo that was to be received by the regime.

“I would receive note verbales from Tripoli, pressuring my embassy to have the Mirage fighter jets released by Malta, while other messages were regarding ships laden with gasoil for the forces,” he said, adding that he would then forward the information to the Maltese government who would intervene to stop the cargo, or share the intelligence with other countries.

The ambassador never met with the two defecting Libyan Air Force Colonels who flew their Mirages fighter jets to Malta last February.

“I have never met them, although I have expressed a wish to see them, but I never followed it up because they might feel uncomfortable in doing so,” he said.

Suayeh said he is grateful to the Maltese government and the Maltese people for having assisted the Libyan people in every way possible during the revolution. He said friends of his in Misurata claim that Malta was their “vital line” that saved many lives and also broke the siege that eventually led the freedom fighters to March on to Tripoli.

“Since the revolution, I have always said that I was on the side of the people, and my role was to ensure that this embassy really represented the people,” he says with an emotional voice.

Although protests raged outside his embassy, Saadun Suayeh was quietly assisting many Libyans, even aiding them financially and giving them advice on travel and buying airfares for them.

Suayeh is proud to be working with the new flag beside him, "I grew up with this flag. It was my flag when I graduated from University in 1965. I am excited at this important historical moment for my people, who has managed to launch a revolution that is as big as the French revolution, and with the fall of Bab Aziziya, it's just like living the fall of Bastille," he says.

Read the full interview this Sunday in MaltaToday's print edition.