Feb 23 (Reuters) - Libya's ruling elite has for years been built around leader Muammar Gaddafi and his family and now, with his rule challenged by a popular uprising, he is relying on his children to help him survive. [nLDE71L2LE]
Below are details on some of Gaddafi's offspring:
SAIF AL-ISLAM
Educated at the London School of Economics, he has become the main spokesman for his father's administration since protesters took over the east of the country and rioted in the capital. In a speech on state television, Saif al-Islam said if protests did not stop "instead of mourning 84 (people killed), we will be mourning hundreds of thousands."
Before, Saif al-Islam had been seen by many Western governments as the acceptable public face of his father's rule. He played a central role in negotiating the lifting of U.S. and European sanctions on Libya in 2004. Mainly through his charitable Gaddafi Foundation, he has pushed for reform in Libya, including more media freedom, acknowledgement of past rights abuses and the adoption of a constitution. Some Libya-watchers say he was a possible successor to his father. He oversaw a reconciliation with Islamist rebels who fought an insurgency in the 1990s. But his efforts at reform were stymied by opposition from inside the ruling elite, and, some analysts say, from members of his own family. In the past few months the independent newspaper he helped to found was forced to mute its criticism of the authorities and his foundation withdrew from political activities.
British think-tank the Quilliam Foundation said the events of the past few days showed Saif al-Islam had changed his priorities.
"Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the heir apparent to Colonel Gaddafi ... no longer aspires to lead a reformist wing within the government but has instead sided with the hardliners," it said in a report.
MUTASSIM
Libya's national security advisor. Many people who study Libya believe he belongs to a conservative camp -- rooted in the military and security forces -- which resisted Saif al-Islam's attempts at reform.
He has a much lower public profile than his brother. He came to international prominence in April 2009 when he had a meeting in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Like many in Gaddafi's entourage, his political fortunes fluctuate according to whether he is in his father's favour. After a long absence, he began travelling with his father on trips to African capitals a few months ago, a change which coincided with the start of an anti-reform drive in Tripoli.
"Muatassim .... plays a key role as his father's confidant and handler during travel abroad," said a confidential cable from the U.S. embassy in Tripoli.
"Muatassim also seems to have been tasked with ensuring that the Leader?s image is well-preserved through the full array of carefully-planned media events."
SAADI GADDAFI
He had a brief career as a professional player in Italy's Serie A soccer league between 2003 and 2007, though he had little time on the field. He had stints with Sampdoria, Udinese, Perugia and had business dealing with Juventus, a club in which one of Libya's sovereign wealth funds owned a stake. He also played for the Libyan national team. Libya's former Italian coach, Francesco Scoglio, was quoted by Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport as saying he was fired for not picking Saadi Gaddafi to play.
Saadi, who qualified as an engineer and also holds military rank, later turned to business. He told Reuters in an interview last year he was behind a project to set up a free trade zone on the Mediterranean coast west of Tripoli.
When violence engulfed Libya's eastern city of Benghazi last week, Saadi spoke on local radio to say he had been appointed commandant of the city. Soon after, residents took control of Benghazi and forced out security forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi.
Saadi then turned up at a pro-government rally in Tripoli's Green Square, an apparently stage-managed appearance to debunk rumours he had been killed by protesters in Benghazi.
KHAMIS
Khamis is closely associated with the conservative old guard. His background is with the military and he holds a senior rank. Residents of Benghazi say a battalion commanded by Khamis and including mercenary fighters was behind some of the worst violence in that city and the town of Al Bayda, about 200 km (124 miles) further east. There has been no official confirmation that Khamis has been in the region.
HANNIBAL
An incident involving Hannibal Gaddafi in a hotel in Geneva caused a diplomatic row with Switzerland that at one point also dragged in the United States and the European Union.
On July 15, 2008, about 20 police entered the luxury hotel and arrested Hannibal and his pregnant wife Aline Skaf on charges of mistreating two domestic employees. They were released soon after and the charges dropped. Within days, Libya withdrew millions of dollars from Swiss bank accounts and halted oil exports to Switzerland.
Back in Libya, two Swiss expatriate workers Rachid Hamdani and Max Goeldi, were told they were barred from leaving the country. They would not be allowed home until two years later. Libyan officials said their case had nothing to do with Hannibal's arrest. Supporters of the Swiss businessmen said they were innocent victims of a Libyan vendetta against Switzerland.
Since protests began in Libya, Hannibal -- who is head of the state shipping company -- has kept a low profile. But one incident shed light on his possible whereabouts.
A Lebanese official said a private plane from Libya, with 10 people on board, requested permission to land in Beirut but was refused because the Libyans would not provide a flight manifest. Hannibal's wife, who is Lebanese, is believed to have been among the intended passengers, said the official.
MOHAMMED
Muammar Gaddafi's son from his first marriage, Mohammed Gaddafi goes by the title Doctor Engineer and is president of the Libyan Olympic Committee. He is also head of the General Post and Telecommunication Company, which oversees mobile and fixed line links. When protests began in Libya last week, phone lines became unreliable and some people making regular calls to foreign journalists said they have had their SIM cards blocked.
AISHA
A lawyer by training, Gaddafi's daughter runs a charitable foundation and in 2004 joined a team of lawyers defending former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. She said in an interview last year with British newspaper the Sunday Telegraph: "I would say that now the future of Libya is very promising, bright and optimistic. It is taking its rightful place in the international community and everyone is seeking good ties with us." (Additional reporting by Mariam Karouny in Beirut; Writing by Christian Lowe; Editing by Janet Lawrence)
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