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Tripoli: A charitable organisation led by Libyan leader's son said on Sunday that it was behind the release of a Philippine Muslim leader after a court in Manila granted him bail following years of imprisonment and house arrest.
"Freeing of Nour Misuari, leader of the Moro National Liberation Front, was the result of efforts exerted by the organisation [Gaddafi International Association for Charitable Organisations] and its leader [Saif Al Islam Gaddafi] since he visited the Philippines last December," said the statement.
In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, the Secretary-General of the 56-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference welcomed the freeing of Misuari. Misuari founded the MNLF, the Philippines' largest separatist group, which signed a historic 1996 peace accord in exchange for limited autonomy for Muslims in the country's restive south.
He was arrested in 2001 and charged with rebellion after his followers launch-ed an attack that killed about 100 people on the southern island of Jolo. He was later held under house arrest.
The Libyan statement said a delegation from Saif Al Islam's organisation returned from Manila Saturday after meeting with Misuari and holding talks with senior security officials and with some faction leaders within the MNLF who will attend a meeting in Tripoli next month to unify their ranks.
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