Mexican officials have confirmed they have broken up an international plot to smuggle the late Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s son and family into the country, USA Today is reporting. Al-Saadi Gadhafi and his family tried using false names and Mexican documents to enter the country, and the plot involved two Mexicans, a Canadian and a Dutch suspect.
The plot was discovered in early September 2011, as Al-Saadi was fleeing Libya. He was trying to leave the country after his father was outed from power. While he never made it to Mexico, he did reach Niger, where he has been living.
Those involved in the plot flew to Mexico, opened bank accounts and bought properties for Al-Saadi. The properties, which were located in several areas of the country, including at the resort of Bahia de las Banderas, were meant to be used as safe houses.
Interior Secretary Alejandro Poire has said Al-Saadi’s large economic resources have allowed him to contract private flights and set up the scheme. He added the Canadian involved in the plot, Cynthia Vanier, was detained on November 10. She’s being held, with three other suspects, under house arrest on suspicion of falsifying documents. Vanier was allegedly the direct contact with the Gadhafi family and the leader of the group.
A Mexican woman living in the U.S. is believed to have obtained the falsified Mexican identity documents, while a Dutch man served as the logistic liaison. However, Mexican officials have not mentioned if Moammar was involved in the plot before he was killed on October 20 in Libya.
Written by: Karen Benardello
