US, UK, France, UN Slam Libya PM Abduction

The only picture reportedly released by the captors showed the Libyan prime minister after gunmen stormed his hotel on Thursday morning. Photo by Al Arabiya

The US, UK and France, along with the UN, have condemned the brief abduction of Libya's PM and pledged their support for its transition to democracy.

US Secretary of State John Kerry called the act "thuggery", while UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon urged all Libyans to respect the rule of law.

Ali Zeidan was abducted from a Tripoli hotel and held for several hours by armed militiamen.

He praised the armed groups that came to rescue him and has called for calm.

The motive of the abduction is unclear but some militias had been angered by last Saturday's US commando raid in Tripoli to capture senior al-Qaeda suspect Anas al-Liby.

Many militias are under the pay of the defence or interior ministries - in the absence of an effective police force or military - but their allegiance and who really controls them is in doubt.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said: "Libyans did not risk their lives in their 2011 revolution to tolerate a return to thuggery.

"Today's events only underscore the need to work with Prime Minister Zeidan and with all of Libya's friends and allies to help bolster its capacity with greater speed and greater success."

Kerry said there could be "no place for this kind of violence in the new Libya".

A statement on behalf of Ban said Libya was facing a deteriorating security situation and increasing acts of violence.

It read: "The secretary-general calls on all Libyan parties and the Libyan people to form consensus around national priorities and work towards building a strong, stable country, respectful of the rule of law and the protection of human rights."

France and Britain both pledged swift support for Zeidan.

French President Francois Hollande said he stood ready to strengthen ties with Libya to tackle militants.

"We must be there to co-operate with Libya to put an end to these groups," he said.

A spokesperson for David Cameron said the UK prime minister had spoken to a "calm and measured" Ali Zeidan after his release and had promised to help build a "stable, free, peaceful and prosperous" Libya.

The spokesperson said the two leaders discussed the challenges facing Libya.

"We have always known and said these transitions clearly take time, transition after a very long period of ruthless authoritarian dictatorship. I think the key thing is to continue to support that country," the spokesman said.

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