Libyan rebels admit one of their own killed Younes

Rebel fighters who were sent to bring rebel military head Abdel Fattah Younes to Benghazi for questioning killed him and dumped his body outside the city, rebel minister Ali Tarhouni told reporters on Friday afternoon.

Tarhouni said a militia leader who was asked to bring General Younes from the frontline had confessed that his men killed Younes. The trigger pullers remained at large, Reuter's reported.

Yesterday, revolutionary officials announced Younes's death, but would not give details of why Younes had been recalled to Benghazi from the front line near the oil port of Brega for questioning. Rumors were that he was in communication with the Gaddafi government.

"If the rumors that General Younes was feeding information to Gaddafi were there then it would make sense that some rogue elements might attempt to assassinate him," said Alan Fraser, an analyst with London-based risk consultancy AKE. 

There had long been an internal split among rebel leaders on Younes, who rose to power with Gaddafi's 1969 revolution and who had served at "the heart of Gaddafi's regime" but who joined the rebels at the beginning of the Libyan uprising in February, the BBC reported.

In April, a Globalpost reporter heard military leaders ask other Libyans to join them to discuss whether they could circumvent Younes. There were high-level questions whether he could be trusted, whether he deserved the job. 

But foreigners and analysts often praised Younes's appointment as head of the rebel forces in the field because it showed the rebel's could form a coalition with former Gaddafi officials and project a brand of national unity. 

"He was one of the few credible senior opposition military commanders and he has been a key figure in helping stabilize and re-organize rebel fighters," Analyst David Hartwell of IHS said. With Younes's assassination, rebel unity and appeal to the 30-some nations who have recognized the Transitional National Council, is in question.

Rebel defense minister Omar Hariri told Reuters Younes's death was still being investigated and the loss would be great. Gen Younes was due to appear before a panel of judges in Benghazi, the BBC reported.

In Benghazi relatives vowed allegiance to the rebels' political leader. But members of Younes's tribe interrupted the press conference with gunfire last night. Explosions were heard outside the hotel where his death was announced.