Gadhafi-era spy tactics quietly restarted in Libya

The Wall Street Journal reports: Libya’s caretaker government has quietly reactivated some of the interception equipment that fallen dictator Moammar Gadhafi once used to spy on his opponents.

The surveillance equipment has been used in recent months to track the phone calls and online communications of Gadhafi loyalists, according to two government officials and a security official. Two officials say they have seen dozens of phone or Internet-chat transcripts detailing conversations between Gadhafi supporters. One person said he reviewed the transcript of at least one phone call between Saadi Gadhafi, the exiled son of the former dictator, and one of his followers inside Libya. Saadi Gadhafi, who is in Niger, couldn’t be reached for comment.

Libya is among the post-Arab Spring nations grappling with a difficult question as they move toward democracy: Whether or not to use the security tools left behind by former dictators. Libya plans elections this Saturday.

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One thought on “Gadhafi-era spy tactics quietly restarted in Libya

  1. Norman

    One way to know what the opposition is up too? Goodness, this is just to valuable to go to waste. No doubt, the shadow manipulators behind the overthrow, are behind this latest adventure too.

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