Squatters have occupied a 10.6 million pound (about US$17 million) London villa purchased by Moammar Gadhafi’s son—but they use only the living room and bathroom, keep it clean, and have banned alcohol from the premises.
“I am like a person looking after the people’s house,” said Belkasem Alghiryani, one of the Libyan squatters when contacted by telephone. “Ghadafi once bought this house with Libyan money, which we believe was stolen from the Libyan people,” Alghiryani said. He said he wants to ensure that the property of the Libyan people will be returned to them.
Libyan nationals and supportive U.K. squatters have been living inside the mansion in the high-end London neighborhood of Hampstead since March 9. The house had been used by Saif Gadhafi, the Libyan leader’s 38-year-old second eldest son.
“Our people in Libya are suffering and some of them have no way to live,” Alghiryani said, explaining the feelings he experienced when he entered the room. “When I went in, really I was upset and sad inside. I thought of my people straight away and said, ‘Wow look at the life he got and look at the life we got over here.’”
The eight-bedroom house with a swimming pool and sauna was put up for sale after the unrest started in Libya. As part of sanctions, the British government seized over 2 billion pounds (about US$3.2 billion) in assets from the Gadhafi family, including the Hampstead villa. It was withdrawn from sale last month, the Telegraph reported.
Since March 9 the police have visited the squatters once, “to make sure nothing would be damaged,” Alghiryani said. Actually that is what the squatters are doing. “For the time being we make sure no one can damage it, that no one would break in and damage it,” he clarifies.
The squatters themselves made a rule that alcohol was banned, as they “don’t want anyone to do stupid things and damage anything.”
They make sure the house stays clean every day and only use what is really necessary, like the bathroom and the living room. Alghiryani, a resident of Manchester in northwestern England, says now he just goes out to shop, as for the moment this is where they are living.
Alghiryani says he will stay as long as needed, which he believes will be until the new government can decide what should be done with the house. Asked when he thinks that will be, he said, “Hopefully, the coward Gadhafi will be finished tonight and the people can decide tonight.”
“I am like a person looking after the people’s house,” said Belkasem Alghiryani, one of the Libyan squatters when contacted by telephone. “Ghadafi once bought this house with Libyan money, which we believe was stolen from the Libyan people,” Alghiryani said. He said he wants to ensure that the property of the Libyan people will be returned to them.
Libyan nationals and supportive U.K. squatters have been living inside the mansion in the high-end London neighborhood of Hampstead since March 9. The house had been used by Saif Gadhafi, the Libyan leader’s 38-year-old second eldest son.
“Our people in Libya are suffering and some of them have no way to live,” Alghiryani said, explaining the feelings he experienced when he entered the room. “When I went in, really I was upset and sad inside. I thought of my people straight away and said, ‘Wow look at the life he got and look at the life we got over here.’”
The eight-bedroom house with a swimming pool and sauna was put up for sale after the unrest started in Libya. As part of sanctions, the British government seized over 2 billion pounds (about US$3.2 billion) in assets from the Gadhafi family, including the Hampstead villa. It was withdrawn from sale last month, the Telegraph reported.
Since March 9 the police have visited the squatters once, “to make sure nothing would be damaged,” Alghiryani said. Actually that is what the squatters are doing. “For the time being we make sure no one can damage it, that no one would break in and damage it,” he clarifies.
The squatters themselves made a rule that alcohol was banned, as they “don’t want anyone to do stupid things and damage anything.”
They make sure the house stays clean every day and only use what is really necessary, like the bathroom and the living room. Alghiryani, a resident of Manchester in northwestern England, says now he just goes out to shop, as for the moment this is where they are living.
Alghiryani says he will stay as long as needed, which he believes will be until the new government can decide what should be done with the house. Asked when he thinks that will be, he said, “Hopefully, the coward Gadhafi will be finished tonight and the people can decide tonight.”
