Libya blocks oil shipments to Switzerland

TRIPOLI, Libya, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Libya halted oil shipments to Switzerland months after Swiss officials arrested a son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi for assault, an oil official says.

Issam Zanati, chief executive of the Libyan oil firm Tamoil, said the decision was made "in light of recent media reports" but provided no other details, the BBC reported Friday. Tamoil said it supplies 20 percent of Switzerland's fuel.

Several months ago Hannibal Gadhafi and his wife were accused of hitting two of their employees, but the charges later were dropped.

Libyan officials told the British broadcaster they instituted the embargo because Switzerland failed to meet Libyan demands that Swiss officials apologize for the arrest. Libya also threatened to halt shipments when Gadhafi was arrested initially.