On 22 January, the Director of the Tripoli Branch of the Judicial Police Major General Faraj Juma’a al‑Mabrouk was severely wounded in a targeted intimidation or assassination attempt against him. He was attacked in his private vehicle just after he left al‑Jdeida Prison in Tajoura, 3.5 km south of Mitiga Airport. He slowed down for a speed bump on the main road, at which point masked gunmen in a car with tinted windows blocked his path. The attackers first fired shots into the air hoping they could stop all surrounding traffic from approaching, then forced their way toward his vehicle and shot him in the leg. Then, the attack stopped. Al‑Mabrouk was immediately rushed to the Qaddour Medical Center about 2.5 km southeast of the Prison, where his condition was reported as stable. Investigators have begun work on the case, but no information has yet emerged about the identity of the assailants.
According to a senior official of the Judicial Police, the attack might have been intended as ‘merely a warning’ or ‘an intimidation’ rather than a straight forward assassination attempt, as the gunmen fled the scene quickly after carrying it out although given their proximity and armaments, it would appear that they could have easily killed al-Mabrouk.
In a formal statement, the Judicial Police Department condemned the incident as a direct attack on state’s authority and their institution’s ability to enforce the rule of law.
The Government of National Unity’s (GNU) Ministry of Justice issued a forceful denunciation of the attack describing the assault as both treacherous and cowardly. The Ministry stressed its determination to track down those responsible, ensuring that the perpetrators will face justice and receive a severe punishment ,which will act as a deterrent for others.
On 23 January, the Head of the Judicial Police Major General Abdel Fattah Abulgasim Daboub, accompanied by prison directors and other senior leaders of the Judicial Police visited Major General al‑Mabrouk at Qaddour Medical Center to check on his condition.