Njeem accused of recruiting prisoners for armed operations

The Office of the Military Prosecutor has announced that preliminary investigations point to the involvement of the dismissed head of the Judicial Police, Osama Elmasry Njeem, in recruiting a number of convicted individuals and prison inmates to form an armed cell uncovered in the Andalus district of Tripoli.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the prosecutor said the cell had allegedly been tasked by Njeem with planning hostile operations targeting government forces as well as senior officials residing in the area.

The statement added that security forces seized a cache of light and medium weapons along with various types of ammunition. The crime scene was examined, and the confiscated items were referred to a specialised forensic expert to determine their specifications and operational condition.

According to the prosecutor, the actions attributed to the cell members constitute serious criminal offences under Libyan law, and all necessary legal procedures have been initiated.

The statement further noted that a Ministry of Interior unit raided a house in the Andalus district following suspicions of an armed group operating inside. The raid resulted in an exchange of fire, leading to the deaths of two Interior Ministry personnel.

The confrontation also left three suspected cell members dead, while two were arrested and another was wounded and transferred to hospital for treatment.

The Office of the Military Prosecutor stressed that investigations remain ongoing and that further details will be announced in due course.