'Gaddafi died of shot to head'

Forensic doctor says autopsy shows former Libyan leader died of gunshot wound; transitional government set to declare liberation later on Sunday

News Agencies|Published: 10.23.11 , 12:25

Muammar Gaddafi died from a gunshot wound, Libya's chief forensic pathologist said after an overnight autopsy on the former Libyan leader's body.

"He died because of a gunshot wound. It is obvious," Dr. Othman al-Zintani said, giving no details about whether it was from an apparent gunshot wound on the left side of Gaddafi's head.

שליחה לחבר

הסרטון נשלח לחברך

הטמעת הסרטון באתר שלך

קוד להטמעה:

<object width='408' height='296' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' data='//mediadownload.ynet.co.il/fp3218/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.18.swf'><param name='movie' value='//mediadownload.ynet.co.il/fp3218/flowplayer.commercial-3.2.18.swf'/><param name='flashvars' value='config={&quot;key&quot;:&quot;#&#036;82d88990cf33aa2235a&quot;,&quot;clip&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;http://ynethd-f.akamaihd.net/z/1011/2210112033r_gadafi.avi.flv/manifest.f4m&quot;,&quot;scaling&quot;:&quot;fit&quot;,&quot;provider&quot;:&quot;akamai&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;video&quot;},&quot;plugins&quot;:{&quot;akamai&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;//mediadownload.ynet.co.il/fp3218/AkamaiAdvancedFlowplayerProvider-3.9.swf&quot;},&quot;controls&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;//mediadownload.ynet.co.il/fp3218/flowplayer.controls-3.2.16.swf&quot;,&quot;autoHide&quot;:false,&quot;height&quot;:26,&quot;zIndex&quot;:1}},&quot;logo&quot;:{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;//mediadownload.ynet.co.il/flowplayerlive/ynetlogo.png&quot;,&quot;top&quot;:15,&quot;left&quot;:15,&quot;fullscreenOnly&quot;:false}}'/><param name='allowfullscreen' value='true'/><param name='quality' value='high'/><param name='cachebusting' value='true'/><param name='bgcolor' value='#000000'/><param name='wmode' value='opaque'/><param name='AllowScriptAccess' value='always'></object>

Libyan's gather to view body following Gaddafi's execution (Reuters)

The autopsy was carried out at a morgue in the city of Misrata, about 200 km (130 miles) east of Tripoli. Local officials said Gaddafi's body would now be brought back to the cold store at an old market in Misrata where it has been on public display.

Bloody images of Gaddafi being taunted and beaten by his captors in his hometown of Sirte have raised questions about whether he was killed in crossfire as suggested by the government or deliberately executed.

New beginning

International concern about the issue has clouded plans by the transitional government to declare liberation later Sunday after months of bloodshed amid a rebellion to oust the hated leader of nearly 42 years.

Indecision over what to do with Gaddafi's remains overshadowed what was to be a joyful day. Libyans seemed relieved the country's ruler was killed, with many saying his death cleared the way for a new beginning.

"If he (Gaddafi) was taken to court, this would create more chaos, and would encourage his supporters," said Salah Zlitni, 31, who owns a pizza parlor in downtown Tripoli. "Now it's over."

Libya's interim leaders are to formally declare later Sunday that the country has been liberated. The ceremony is to take place in the eastern city of Benghazi, the revolution's birthplace.

The long-awaited declaration starts the clock on Libya's transition to democracy. The transitional leadership has said it would declare a new interim government within a month of liberation and elections for a constitutional assembly within eight months, to be followed by parliamentary and presidential elections within a year.