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Libya: Muammar Gaddafi's body undergoes post-mortem Libya: Muammar Gaddafi's body 'undergoes post-mortem'
(about 1 hour later)
A post-mortem examination on the body of Libya's ex-leader Muammar Gaddafi has been performed in Misrata, an official told the BBC.A post-mortem examination on the body of Libya's ex-leader Muammar Gaddafi has been performed in Misrata, an official told the BBC.
He said the body would be handed over to relatives. The burial has been delayed, with officials divided about what to do with the body. He said the body would be handed over to relatives. The burial has been delayed, with officials divided about what to do with the remains.
The UN and the family have called for a full investigation into his death. The UN has called for an inquiry about into Col Gaddafi's killing on Thursday.
Video footage showed Col Gaddafi alive after his capture in Sirte on Thursday, and then dead a short time later. Meanwhile the commander of the forces that captured him in Sirte gave details of the events leading to his death.
The US has called on Libya's new authorities to give a full account of Col Gaddafi's death in an "open and transparent manner". In an exclusive BBC interview, Omran el Oweib said the injured colonel had been dragged from the drainage pipe where he had been hiding, took 10 steps and collapsed.
Libya's National Transitional Council (NTC) is expected to formally announce the liberation of the country during the weekend. He said gunfire then broke out between Gaddafi supporters and fighters of the National Transitional Council (NTC). It was impossible to tell who fired the fatal bullet, he added.
Election date
We've just been shown into a refrigerator compartment in a market on the outskirts of Misrata. Inside is the body of Muammar Gaddafi. He's got various wounds on his body and what appear to be wounds on his head, although it's not clear whether there is in fact a head shot that was talked about as the cause of death.We've just been shown into a refrigerator compartment in a market on the outskirts of Misrata. Inside is the body of Muammar Gaddafi. He's got various wounds on his body and what appear to be wounds on his head, although it's not clear whether there is in fact a head shot that was talked about as the cause of death.
The crucial thing is that this is recognisably the former Libyan leader, his curly hair and trademark goatee beard. There are people queuing up outside still to view the body, the occasional chants of 'Allahu Akbar' ['God is great'], going up from the crowd, who are all donning face masks to overcome the smell.The crucial thing is that this is recognisably the former Libyan leader, his curly hair and trademark goatee beard. There are people queuing up outside still to view the body, the occasional chants of 'Allahu Akbar' ['God is great'], going up from the crowd, who are all donning face masks to overcome the smell.
It's now coming up to two days since the Libyan leader was captured and killed, and still he hasn't been buried, contrary to Islamic custom.It's now coming up to two days since the Libyan leader was captured and killed, and still he hasn't been buried, contrary to Islamic custom.
The first elections should take place by next June, Libya's acting prime minister has said. Mr Oweib said he had driven the former leader to a field hospital, where he was pronounced dead. "I tried to save his life but I couldn't," the commander said.
"According to what we call the constitutional declaration, the first election after the liberation of the country... should be within a period of eight months maximum," Mahmoud Jibril told a conference in Jordan. Questions have been mounting as to what happened in Col Gaddafi's last moments. Acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril said he had been shot in crossfire.
"The national congress of Libya... is entitled with two tasks, the first one to draft a constitution over which we'll have a referendum and the second task is to form the interim government which should last until the first presidential elections are held."
Meanwhile, Nato says it will end its campaign in Libya by 31 October.
The alliance's Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said that as the mission wound down, Nato "will make sure there are no attacks against civilians during the transition period".
Nato's seven-month campaign of air strikes was carried out under a UN mandate authorising the use of force to protect civilians in Libya.
Body in freezer
Hundreds of Libyans had been queuing to get a glimpse of the body of Col Gaddafi in a meat storage room in Misrata.
The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in the city says some - mostly women - craned their necks to see the body of his son Mutassim, who was also killed on Thursday.
Officials, including acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril, have also been to see the corpses.
It is unclear whether the ex-leader will be buried in Misrata, in his hometown of Sirte, or elsewhere.
Officials from the NTC had earlier said they would conduct a secret burial to prevent any grave being turned into a shrine.
'Major concerns'
Meanwhile, questions are mounting as to exactly what happened in Col Gaddafi's last moments following his capture.
Mr Jibril said Col Gaddafi had been shot in the head in an exchange of fire between Gaddafi loyalists and NTC fighters in Sirte.
Video footage suggests he was dragged through the streets.Video footage suggests he was dragged through the streets.
In Washington, state department spokesman Mark Toner said the NTC "has already been working to determine the precise cause and circumstances of Gaddafi's death, and we obviously urge them to do so in an open and transparent manner as we move forward". Secret burial?
But Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the "way his death happened poses an entire number of questions". The US has called on officials to give an account in an "open and transparent manner". Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the "way his death happened poses an entire number of questions".
Mr Lavrov called for a full investigation, echoing a similar call by UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay.Mr Lavrov called for a full investigation, echoing a similar call by UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay.
Her spokesman Rupert Colville told the BBC that the killing could have been illegal.
"There are two videos out there, one showing him alive and one showing him dead and there are four or five different versions of what happened in between those two cell phone videos. That obviously raises very, very major concerns," he said.
However, correspondents say few Libyans are worried about the manner of their former dictator's humiliating end. Celebrations continued late into the night across Libya.However, correspondents say few Libyans are worried about the manner of their former dictator's humiliating end. Celebrations continued late into the night across Libya.
NTC foreign affairs spokesman Ahmed Gebreel told the BBC that the post-mortem had been carried out on Saturday.
However another official, Fathi al-Bashaagha, told AFP news agency that there would be no autopsy.
Hundreds of Libyans have been queuing to get a glimpse of the bodies of Col Gaddafi and his son Mutassim - who was also killed on Thursday. They had been placed in a meat storage facility.
It is unclear whether the ex-leader will be buried in Misrata, in his hometown of Sirte, or elsewhere.
Officials from the NTC have said they want a secret burial to prevent any grave being turned into a shrine.
Elections
Libya's is expected to formally announce the liberation of the country during the weekend.
The first elections should take place by next June, Libya's acting prime minister has said.
"According to what we call the constitutional declaration, the first election after the liberation of the country... should be within a period of eight months maximum," Mahmoud Jibril told a conference in Jordan.
"The national congress of Libya... is entitled with two tasks, the first one to draft a constitution over which we'll have a referendum and the second task is to form the interim government which should last until the first presidential elections are held."
Nato says it will end its campaign in Libya by 31 October.
The alliance's Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said on Friday that as the mission wound down Nato "will make sure there are no attacks against civilians".
Nato's seven-month campaign of air strikes was carried out under a UN mandate authorising the use of force to protect civilians.
Col Gaddafi, who came to power in a coup in 1969, was toppled in August. He was making his last stand in Sirte alongside two of his sons, Mutassim and Saif al-Islam, according to reports.Col Gaddafi, who came to power in a coup in 1969, was toppled in August. He was making his last stand in Sirte alongside two of his sons, Mutassim and Saif al-Islam, according to reports.
There are conflicting reports as to the whereabouts of Saif al-Islam, and Col Gaddafi's security chief - who are both at large.There are conflicting reports as to the whereabouts of Saif al-Islam, and Col Gaddafi's security chief - who are both at large.
Are you in Libya? What is your reaction to this news? Please send us your comments using the form below.Are you in Libya? What is your reaction to this news? Please send us your comments using the form below.
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