III.27 : Libyan Prince - Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi?

		"The Libyan Prince will be powerful in the West, the French will become so inflamed of Arabs, learned in letters he will agree to translate the Arab language into French." ~ Nostradamus III.27
		In this quatrain Nostradamus talks about a "Libyan Prince" who would play an important mediatory role during a French-Arab discord. At this moment none fits the description better than Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, whose name means the "Sword of Islam", the second son and heir apparent of Libyan President Colonel Muammar Gaddafi.

It appears that a Libyan Prince (i.e. not yet a King), who is well educated as well as has diplomatic abilities and who is acceptable to the west, will mediate (translate the Arab language into French - if we don't take it too literally) between the Arab and the French. The quatrain mentions that something would happen which would cause tensions between the Arabs and the French. Seen in this context, it is apparent that to "translate Arab language into French" in this context does not simply have a literal meaning but may mean that the person concerned would act in a mediatory role between the Arab and the French during the discord. No further indications regarding the cause of the tension is given by Nostradamus nor is it mentioned whether he would be successful in mediating. But some characteristics of the "Prince" is given. Nostradamus's use of the word "Prince" means that the person concerned is not yet a "King" when he embarks upon the venture. That is to say, he is not yet the supreme leader of the country. Yet, he is substantially influential among the Arabs as well as in the western nations so as to be an acceptable mediator. It is also mentioned that he will be "learned in letters" i.e. a person having an above-average education. It is also apparent that the person has an inclination for jobs involving negotiation and mediation and probably has previous experience in the subject. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the second son of Colonol Gaddafi (oldest son from second wife) is widely believed to be the successor of the Libyan President. When Libya declared that it would destroy its WMDs, it was Saif who gave a statement, to the media although he did not hold any official post in the Libyan government. The profile of Saif is available from a statement which was submitted by him on 5th December, 2000 read with a counter-statement by one Dr. Mansour O. El-Kikhia during a case between Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi and Telegraph Group Limited, London. Reading it will will make it clear that Saif Al-Islam fits the description well of the "Prince" of Libya mentioned by Nostradamus in the quatrain III.27. The increasing acceptability of Libya in the west after the Lockerbie claim settlement and its announcement of the discontinuation of the WMD program makes such a mediatory role by Libya more probable. Apart from being the heir-apparent of the Libyan President and highly educated, Saif, who turned 31 during 2003 already has a substantial amount of exposure to diplomacy and negotiations. A summary is provided below : Education - Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi is highly educated by any standards. He completed B.Sc in Engineering Science at the Al-Fateh University in Tripoli in 1994, the main university in Libya. He also knows several western languages. In his own words "I have always been interested in foreign languages, and I have been able to do several foreign language courses, in French, German and English, in particular while I was in Austria but also during my first degree". He also completed military service after 1994. Having passed an interview and, subsequently, a TOEFL test, he was admitted to IMADEC University at Vienna, Austria in May 1998 for an MBA course from which he graduated in September 2000. He is now studying global governance at the prestigious London School of Economics. Diplomacy : Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi was involved in the negotiation for release of western hostages captured by Abu Sayyaf rebels (considered having links with Al-Qaeda) in Philippines on behalf of the Gaddafi International Charity Foundation (GICF) founded by him in 1997. A huge amount was alleged to be transferred to the Abu Sayyaf rebels by him, purportedly for the release of the western hostages. GICF is involved in assisting Muslims being "persecuted" in various parts of the world. He was involved, in December 1999, in trying to persuade the MNLF and me MILF (two organizations representing Muslims in the Philippines but with differences in objectives) to cease fighting with each other and to unite. He is known throughout the Arab world and has also traveled to many Arab countries including the UAE, Iran, Jordan, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia, sometimes as the representative of his father. His was also involved in the evacuation of families of some Taliban supporters from Afghanistan through Pakistan to Tripoli during 2001. He had also been on a diplomatic mission to Germany and other countries. His charity was also instrumental in negotiating a $2.7 billion deal over the 1988 bombing of a US airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. In fact he, on many occasions acted as an informal foreign minister for his father. His increasingly high profile at home and abroad has fuelled speculation that his father, who is in his early 60s and has been in power for 34 years, was grooming him as heir-apparent although he continues to dismiss reports he was being groomed to succeed his father as “western journalists making stories”. It would not be out of context to look into two prophecies of Nostradamus where he seems to indicate a Libyan invasion of Italy. C2Q30 Vn qui les dieux d'Annibal infernaux, Fera renaistre, effrayeur des humains. Oncq' plus d'horreur ne plus pire iournaux, Qu'auint viendra par Babel aux Romains. One who the infernal gods of Hannibal will cause to be reborn, terror of mankind never more horror nor worse of days in the past than will come to the Romans through Babel. Interestingly, one of the sons of Libyan President Colonel Gaddafi and brother of Saif Al-Islam is named Hannibal. Another quatrain, probably also related to the above, seems to indicate a Libyan invasion of Italy. C1Q9 De l'Orient viendra le coeur Punique Fascher Hadrie, & les hoires Romulides, Acompagne de la classe Libique, Temples Melites & proches Isles vuides. From the Orient will come the Punic heart to vex Adria and the heirs of Romulus, accompanied by the Libyan fleet, Malta trembling and the neighboring isles empty. Here is a Reuters article on Saif Al-Islam published on 22nd December, 2003.

Suave son Gaddafi’s messenger to the world Rabat, Dec. 22 (Reuters): When Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi wants to send a message to the world, he often chooses his son as messenger in an apparent bid to groom him for succession. This was again the case with the surprise announcement at the weekend that Libya was scrapping its weapons of mass destruction. It was Saif al-Islam who put in simple words what the decision meant, going further than the North African country’s foreign minister, who read the official statement in Tripoli, or the Prime Minister, who gave interviews to the BBC. “It will pave the way for the normalization of political relations with the (United) States and with the West in general and also will lead to the elimination of any threat against Libya from the West and from the States in particular,” he told CNN. An architect, business school graduate and now studying global governance at the prestigious London School of Economics, Saif, 31, is Gaddafi’s oldest son from his second marriage. His official role is as head of the Gaddafi Foundation Charity, which funds development projects around the world. The charity has been instrumental in negotiating a $2.7 billion deal over the 1988 bombing of a US airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland. The compensation deal opened the way for the lifting of UN sanctions against Libya in September. Saif, whose name means Sword of Islam, first came to international attention in 2000 when he helped negotiate the release of European and South African hostages held by Islamic rebels in the Philippines. His increasingly high profile at home and abroad has fuelled speculation that his father, who is in his early 60s and has been in power for 34 years, was grooming him as heir-apparent. Tall, elegant, with a shaved head and sporting small, oval, wire-rimmed glasses, the younger Gaddafi favors designer suits and jeans, in contrast to his father’s flowing African robes. The difference goes beyond appearance. While his often quixotic father is prone to rambling speeches and antagonistic rhetoric, Saif is suave, usually gives short, precise answers to journalists, and is fluent in English, French and German. But in recent interviews with Western media, he dismissed reports he was being groomed to succeed his father as “western journalists making stories”.