Gadhafi Buried in Unmarked Grave
One of Gadhafi's nephews read a prayer before the bodies of Gadhafi, his son Muatassim and former defense minister Abu Bakr Younis were handed over for burial, said Ibrahim Beitalmal, a spokesman for the military council in the port city of Misrata.
The bodies had been kept in cold storage for four days before being moved under cover of darkness from Misrata to the burial site, which Beitalmal said was "not far" from the city. Keeping in line with Islamic tradition, the bodies were washed. A Muslim cleric, one of Gadhafi's nephews and Abu Bakr's sons recited prayers before the bodies were buried at 5 a.m.
Libyan leaders will not reveal the location of the grave, fearing that it would be vandalized by opponents or enshrined by die-hard supporters.
Gadhafi was captured alive in his hometown of Sirte on Thursday, where he had been hiding for two months since revolutionary forces swarmed the capital of Tripoli. He died later that day in unclear circumstances, although an autopsy performed on the bodies by Libya's chief pathologist showed that Gadhafi had died as a result of a shot to the head. The pathologist, Dr. Othman el-Zentani, said that a full report would be released next week after he presents his findings to the attorney general.
The bodies of Gadhafi, Muatassim and Younis were kept in a refrigerated produce locker in Misrata for four days. Hundreds donned surgical masks and viewed the corpses, some coming from hundreds of miles away. At times, guards separated men and women into separate lines.
Gadhafi and his son were wounded before capture, but whether they were killed in crossfire or subsequently executed is still being investigated.
Earlier this week, interim Libyan leader Mustafa Abdul-Jalil formally declared an end to the civil war, beginning what would be a two-year transition to democracy. Human rights activists have warned that the new Libya could have a rough start if vigilante justice is condoned, but many Libyans have said they are relieved Gadhafi is dead. A long trial, they say, would have been disruptive and would make it more difficult for Libya to start anew.
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