The wife of the Libyan foreign minister who defected to Britain earlier this week has been seized by Colonel Gaddafi

Libya: wife of defecting foreign minister captured in firefight

The wife of the Libyan foreign minister who defected to Britain earlier this week has been seized by Colonel Gaddafi and is being interrogated by his "internal security" officials, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.

Moussa Kouusa was once considered the real power behind Muammar Gaddafi Photo: AP

By Damien McElroy, in Tripoli and Robert Winnett10:52PM BST 01 Apr 2011

She is thought to have been captured amid eyewitness reports of a fierce gunfight at Col Gaddafi's central Tripoli compound as the regime stepped in to stop further defections.

Yesterday, local residents recalled how the most fierce firefight yet seen in central Tripoli had erupted within hours of the regime confirming that the Foreign Minister had defected.

"The blocks in that area are the homes to high ranking official of the state who must live close to Col Gaddafi. People say that some of them were trying to flee with their families when they came under attack from the guards," said a local resident.

"They gave as they got but there was a panic that the regime had to cover up."

"In the morning they were still cleaning up the blood," they said. "It was a big operation."


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