Five Arrested in Iman al-Obeidi Rape Investigation

Five men, possibly including the son of a high-ranking police officer, have been arrested in Libya as part of a criminal investigation into the rape allegations made by Iman al-Obeidi. The Libyan woman made headlines yesterday when she burst into a Tripoli hotel to tell journalists she had been imprisoned, raped, and tortured by men connected to Moammar Gadhafi. A government spokesperson says her claims are being fully investigated and that she has been given access to a lawyer.

Libya's deputy foreign minister confirms to Sky News the men have been detained as part of the investigation and says security staff "mishandled" the incident when al-Obeidi entered the hotel and police attempted to silence her. He also suggests the woman was attending a pre-arranged meeting with at least one of the men when the assault allegedly occurred; al-Obeidi claims she was picked up at a checkpoint. Sky News reports that it is "understood" the government is holding al-Obeidi as part of the investigation. Click for more background. (More Iman al-Obeidi stories.)