Time for Crown Prince Sayyid Muhammad to go home?

We have heard for quite some time now that the days of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi of Libya are numbered, and following the developments in the last few days, with the rebels now taking control over most parts of the capital Tripoli, we seem to getting closer and closer to a de facto change of government. At last!

The chairman of the Transitional National Council, Mustafa Muhammed Abdul Jalil, is expected to become the Libyan nation's new leader, at least until elections are held.

The head of the former Libyan Royal Family, Crown Prince Sayyid Muhammad, b. 1962, a grand-nephew of King Idris (1889-1951-1969-1983), lives in exile in London. As soon as the rebels have taken absolute control over Tripoli and the security situation is solved, the Crown Prince is expected to return to his homeland. It is in my opinion little chance of a restoration, and it is unclear what kind of role the Crown Prince will be able to play, but at least he finally gets the opportunity to come home again. The Crown Prince has figured in the media from time to time this year. After my last blog article on Libya in March 2011, he has created an official website, http://mohammedelsenussi.org/, but unfortunately he hasn't been able to update it regularly.

Another website worth mentioning is 24 Dec 1951. The name of the website refers to the day when the United Libyan Monarchy was proclaimed. It has proven too difficult to find out who is behind the website, but it contains lots of interesting historical information about the monarchy and the Senussi dynasty.

There are many members of the Sanussi family who are already involved or will be taking part one way or another in the construction of a (hopefully) democratic Libya. I have already mentioned the Crown Prince as well as Sayyid Ahmad Mindas al-Sanussi, who is or at least was a member of the above-mentioned Transitional National Council. Yet another member is Prince Muhammed Hilal, who wrote a piece for The Washington Post on 17 March 2011, soon after his return to Libya after 41 years in exile. He is by the newspaper described as a grand-nephew of King Idris, but I believe there must be a mix-up with the Crown Prince. According to both The Royal Ark and Genealogical Gleanings the relationship seems to be more distant, unless there is a cognatic connection that I haven't figured out yet.

For the main line of the Sanussi family, see The Royal Ark, page 6.

Libya: Sayyid Ahmad Mindas al-Sanussi member of The Interim Transitional National Council

The Norwegian daily Aftenposten published today (paper edition only) an interesting interview with the 77 years' old Sayyid Ahmad Mindas al-Sanussi, a member of the former royal family of Libya who has got a role in the so-called Interim Transitional National Council, which has been established by "the revolutionary people of Libya". The Transitional National Council is meant to represent the free parts of Libya until the Gaddafi regime has been overthrown, and - according to its website - to "guide the country to free elections and the establishment of a constitution for Libya".

According to Aftenposten, al-Sanussi represents the political prisoners in the council. The website refers to a Zubiar Ahmed El-Sharif holding this position, but I guess it could the same person? Aftenposten uses the name Ahmad Zubayr Ahmad al-Sanussi. At the Royal Ark I can only find one person with a similar name as Aftenposten's - Sayyid Ahmad Mindas bin Sayyid al-Zubayr al-Sanussi, who was born at Mersa Matruh in 1934 as the oldest child of Sayyid al-Zubayr bin Sayyid Ahmad as-Sharif al-Sanussi and Sayyida Fatima binti Sayyid Muhammad al-Rida al-Sanussi.

Aftenposten writes that Sayyid Ahmad Mindas al-Sanussi was imprisoned in 1970 after a countercoup against the Gaddafi regime failed. He was not let out before in 2001. The Transitional Council member doubts that there is a chance for restoration of the monarchy, and speaks highly of the chairman of the council, Mustafa Muhammed Abdul Jalil, who has earlier served as Gaddafi's Minister of Justice: - Jalil is an honourable gentleman and is well respected among the people here. It is documented that he on several occasions has dared to oppose Gaddafi's will while he was a minister and also earlier, when he was a judge. He is a good leader of the council!

If/when the Gaddafi regime falls, I gather that Jalil has a great chance of becoming Libya's next leader. I have earlier written that "it is only a question of time before the regime lead by the "Guide of the Revolution" and de facto head of state, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, goes into history ...". I still think his days are numbered, but the civil war that has broken out could go on for quite some time.

So far no news about the pretender to the Libyan throne, Crown Prince Sayyid Muhammad following the interview he gave to Al Jazeera in February. Isn't it on time for him to return to Libya to get involved?

Updated on Wednesday 23 March 2011 at 14.35 (minor language mistake corrected).