The media advisor for the Libyan Investment Authority, Louay Al-Qariu, confirmed that the Chairman and Executive Director of the Authority, Ali Mahmoud Hassan, received on Tuesday a decision from the General Secretariat of Interpol in Lyon to permanently withdraw a request by Belgian authorities against him, thus considering an international arrest warrant issued against him null and void.

Al-Qariu tells Alwasat that Belgian authorities had previously requested Interpol to issue an international memorandum against Hassan "based on political motives", in June of 2022.

He added that Interpol confirmed that Belgian authorities did not comply with the applicable rules given the political dimension of this case.

According to the Belgian media at the time, Brussels investigating judge Michel Claise wanted to interrogate Hassan about two billion euros that vanished from Euroclear bank.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba then accused Belgium of “trying once again to seize Libyan funds”.

Libyan funds in Belgium have been the subject of a dispute that also involves Belgian Prince Laurent, brother of King Philippe.

The prince has been seeking compensation from Libya after his charity, the Global Sustainable Development Trust, invested tens of millions of euros in a reforestation project that never went ahead due to Gaddafi’s fall.