A/HRC/17/44 person who may be suspected of disloyalty. In general, it is difficult to ascertain how and why a given Katiba is organized and dissolved and under whose command it is at any given time. The Commission was informed by one witness that, before the February events, each Katiba was assigned to a particular area and given a specific responsibility.31 39. The Revolutionary Committees were set up in 1977 with a view to “safeguarding the Revolution”.32 Their members wear civilian clothes and are armed with small weapons (handguns and AK47‟s). Sources to whom the Commission spoke estimated that the Revolutionary Committees have tens of thousands of members, possibly between 60,000 and 100,000 members. According to information collected by the Commission, the Revolutionary Committees are tasked with police functions including the arrest of counterrevolutionaries and the management of numerous detention centres in most cities and towns across the country. The Revolutionary Committees have been described as the “most important security organisations” and “remain[ing] the closest to Colonel Qadhafi himself.”33 40. The Jamahiriya Security Organization includes the Internal Security Agency (ISA) and the External (or Foreign) Security Agency (ESA). According to information provided to the Commission, ISA, under the leadership of Colonel Abdullah al-Senusi is tasked with monitoring anti-Qadhafi organizations, such as lawyers and doctors‟ unions and individuals to evaluate the extent of any threat to the regime. 34 The Internal Security Agency reports directly to Colonel Qadhafi. ESA was formerly commanded by Musa Kusa (who defected from the regime in February).35 This agency reportedly planned, coordinated and provided support to military operations and terrorist activities abroad. External security dealt also with military intelligence and intelligence assessment overseas but was not usually directly involved in internal security affairs. While regular prisons fall under the authority of the General People‟s Committee for Justice of the Ministry of Justice, it is ISA that has jurisdiction over the Abu Salim and Ain Zarah prisons.36 Members of both ISA and ESA wear civilian clothes and their vehicles are not marked with distinctive signs. 41. Riot police force: The Commission received reports concerning the involvement of a riot police force (Quwat al-Da’m al-Markazi) in suppressing demonstrations. Its command structure is unknown. Little is known either about the Public Security Agency (Al-Amn Al-Am). 42. The Revolutionary Guard is a structured political and paramilitary apparatus within the Armed Forces tasked with ensuring loyalty to the regime. Its members are believed to be the Revolutionary Committee members within the Armed Forces. 37 According to information provided to the Commission, the Revolutionary Guard (Al-Haras 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 The Commission was able to compile a list of Kata’eb with their geographic location and main commanding officers. Hanspeter Mattes, “Challenges to Security Sector Governance in the Middle East: the Libyan Case” (2004), p. 13. Ibid., p. 17. According to information received by the Commission, the ISA commander for the eastern region at the time of the events in February was Senusi al-Wizri; and the commander for Tripoli, Brigadier General Tuhami Khaled. According to information received by the Commission, other officials as of February included the head of the Special Operations Unit, Abu Zayd Dorda. These two prisons are known for holding political prisoners in detention for years without trial. Human Rights Watch, “Truth and Justice Can‟t Wait”, 12 December 2009. Available from www.hrw.org/en/node/87096/section/8. Hanspeter Mattes, “Challenges to Security Sector Governance in the Middle East: the Libyan Case”, pp. 15–16. 15