BEIRUT: Lebanese authorities lifted a travel ban and reduced bail for the son of late Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi paving the way for his release, judicial officials and one of his lawyers said Thursday.
The decision by the country’s judicial authorities came days after a Libyan delegation visited Lebanon and made progress in talks for the release of Hannibal Qaddafi.
In mid-October, a Lebanese judge ordered Qaddafi’s release on $11 million bail, but banned him from traveling outside Lebanon. His lawyers said at the time that he didn’t have enough to pay that amount, and sought permission for him to leave the country.
On Thursday, his bail was reduced to 80 billion Lebanese pounds (about $900,000) and the travel ban was lifted allowing him to leave the country once he pays the bail, three judicial officials and one security official said.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said Qaddafi has decided to leave Lebanon once he is released. They added that his family will follow him later.
