Mohammed El Senussi

Mohammed El Senussi (Sayyid Mohammed al-Rida bin Sayyid Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi El Senussi; occasionally spelled as "...Al Senussi", "as-Senussi", "al/el-Senussi", and, most accurately, "al-Sanusi", born 20 October 1962) is the son of Crown Prince Hasan as-Senussi of Libya, and of Crown Princess Fawzia bint Tahir Bakeer. Born in Tripoli, he is considered by Libyan royalists to be the legitimate heir to the Senussi Crown of Libya. A rival claim is also advanced by his distant relative Idris bin Abdullah. He was named Mohammed al-Rida (محمد الرضا) after his grandfather Mohammed al Rida El Senussi.

Biography
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi overthrew Mohammed El Senussi's great-uncle King Idris and his father the Crown Prince on 1 September 1969 in the Al Fateh Revolution. Gaddafi detained the Royal Family and held them under house arrest. In 1982 their house with belongings was destroyed and the family moved into a shack on the beach. Before being allowed to emigrate to the United Kingdom in 1988, Prince Mohammed spent some time in the early eighties working at the Libyan Ministry of Agriculture.

Mohammed El Senussi received his education in the United Kingdom. On 18 June 1992, he was appointed as heir by his father to succeed him in death as Crown Prince and Head of the Royal House of Libya. He is unmarried.

Libyan civil war
During the Libyan Civil War, El Senussi spoke publicly in support of the protesters.

Senussi, sent his condolences "for the heroes who have laid down their lives, killed by the brutal forces of Gaddafi" and called on the international community "to halt all support for the dictator with immediate effect." El Senussi said that the protesters would be "victorious in the end" and calls for international support to end the violence.

On 24 February, Senussi gave an interview to Al Jazeera English where he called upon the international community to help remove Gaddafi from power and stop the ongoing "massacre". He has dismissed talk of a civil war saying "The Libyan people and the tribes have proven they are united".

Questioned about what shape a new government could take, and whether the 1951 royal constitution could be revived, Senussi said that such questions are "premature and are issues that are to be decided by the Libyan people," adding that for now the priority is to stop the "killing of innocent people." On whether he desires to return to Libya he says "The Senussi family considers itself as in the service of the Libyan people." When asked about reestablishing the monarchy, he has stated that he "is a servant to Libyan people, and they decide what they want".

The White House said it will not specify which individuals and groups it is working and reaching out with, when asked if it supports El Senussi's calls for international support.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, he stated that it is too early to answer if the monarchy in Libya could be restored and if he will be active in Libyan politics. He also says the main objective is to end the violence on the streets in Libya.

On 3 March, it was announced that he planned to return to Libya. On 4 March, he called the West to use airstrikes against Gaddafi after his contacts in Libya told him they need airstrikes. He also argued that a no-fly zone would be insufficient but later calls for the no-fly zone.

He later stated that international community needs "less talk and more action" to stop the violence. He has asked for a no-fly zone over Libya but does not support foreign ground troops. He sent a letter to current UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon calling the UN to impose the no fly zone. He has also stated that a no-fly zone is the only way to stop Gaddafi who he has said is relying completely on the air force. He viewed the departure of Moussa Koussa as a sign that the government is falling with in. He also does not think there will be a stalemate.

On 20 April, Mohammed spoke in front of the European Parliament calling for more support for Libya. He also states that he will support any form of government that Libya will choose after Gaddafi including a constitutional monarchy.

On 21 September, Mohammed visited Rome to meet members of the Italian government and the Libyan opposition.

On 20 October, Mohammed hailed the death of Gaddafi and the fall of Sirte as a victory of peace and freedom. He views it as opening a new chapter in Libyan history and that the era of oppression was behind them now.

Recent developments
On 8 December 2011, Mohammed met with members of the Filipino government to discuss lifting the ban on deployment to Libya by the Philippine government. He also praised the Filipino health workers that refused to abandon their post and continued treating citizens in Tripoli during the war.

On 6 March 2012, Eastern Libyans declared their desire for autonomy in Benghazi. Mohammed's relative, Ahmed al-Senussi was announced as the leader of the self-declared Cyrenaica Transitional Council.

On 5 March 2014, the Libyan Transitional Government rehabilitated the Senussi family. The government’s decree restored the citizenship of former king's relatives and paved the way for the return of their confiscated property.

On 24 December 2014, Mohammed called on Libyans to unite and lay personal interests aside in favour of national ones, speaking publicly for the first time in over three years in a video recording.

Quotes

 * The return of monarchy to Libya is not a priority, but "the United Nations – which endorsed the Libyan constitution upon independence – must interfere and restore the constitution, to hold free elections and let the people decide what system they prefer."
 * "The Libyan people have now chosen to challenge this regime peacefully until it is gone from Libya, and the people will not return to their homes until justice is delivered… [they] have raised their voices in Benghazi and Tripoli and all other cities across Libya. They have made the whole world listen to them… His [Gaddafi's] fight to stay in power will not last long, because of the desire for freedom by the Libyan people.  This great popular revolution will be victorious in the end, because of the unity of the Libyan people."