Libya: Gaddafi’s Right Hand Abdessalem Jalloud Flees to Italy · Global Voices
Mona Kareem

This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011.
News from Libya is raining on the world, as one city after another are being taken by the revolutionaries. The big news came when Libya's former number two Abdessalem Jalloud left the country to Italy on a Maltese plane through Tunisia, as confirmed by a Tunisian senior government official. A lot of people see Jalloud's defection as a good sign for the end of Gaddafi. However, a lot have not forgotten to state on social media that Jalloud is still a criminal of the Libyan regime and should be facing court. Few others have saluted his defection and said that Jalloud has previously tried to oppose Gaddafi. Here's more of the conversation from Twitter.
Libyans in Tunis celebrate the "Beginning of the End". Image by Sghaier khaled, copyright Demotix (22/08/2011).
Palestinian Twitter user Nour (@nourj48) wrote saying:
@nourj48: Really, #Jalloud? NOW #Gaddafi betrayed the people? where was your loyalty to the people the past 42 years? Go to hell.
Asma Magariaf (@LibyanBentBladi) suggested that Jalloud might be working for Gaddafi from Italy:
@LibyanBentBladi: Less than 24hurs after defection, Jalloud already out of Libya. Is it unsafe 4 him to remain? is he more valuable operating from outside?
Fadwa El-Gallal (@Douuu) made a comparison between Jalloud and National Transition Council of Libya :
@Douuu: Jalloud defected frm Gaddafi in 1987 While many NTC members defected this year, if thy r heroes, I guess he is too!
Twitter user nicknamed Hancker (@hankerton) found it too late for Jalloud to defect:
@hankerton: A little too late #jalloud now it's ‘our’ revolution?! U r useless now. U will also be on trial.
Maimuna Aghliw (@fcukruna) tweeted several times about Jalloud and wrote a piece of information about him:
@fcukruna: Jalloud has actually been under house arrest for a number of years.
Other Twitter users went on commenting on Jalloud's interview for Al-Jazeera and his attitude:
@libya_Horra: omg did u see what #jalloud did.. just took off the mic after saying what he wanted to say, once a prick always a prick.
Libya 7orra (@libya_Horra) has also made another comment on the interview saying:
@libya_Horra: Jalloud saying all of tripoli shud come out together, well then why the fuck did u run .. u shudve stayed in tripoli & fight
Muham Marc Sugiono (@Lokaltermin) wrote a sarcastic tweet for Jalloud:
@Lokaltermin: If you want start a politically career in Libya try to be eccentric.The next pres. should wear a pink Tutu and dance while shouting
Henry Smith (@TH_Smith) looked at Jalloud's defection as a key in the Libyan revolution:
@TH_Smith: Importance of Jalloud defection overstated. Defections among coercive forces are the key.
Another Twitter user named Alaa (@ehkayy) has also viewed Jalloud's defection as a positive sign and took it to another level:
@ehkayy: Regardless of what others think, I think he's being sincere and this has been stuff he's been wanting to say for a long time.
This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011.