The American fighter in Libya (8 images)

Matthew VanDyke, 32, gained international attention last year when he was captured by the military of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi. VanDyke left Baltimore Feb. 26, 2011, was captured March 13 near Brega and jailed in Tripoli's Abu Salim prison for 166 days. When he was freed in August, he said he returned to fighting before heading back to the United States in November.

In photo supplied by U.S. national Matthew VanDyke, he poses with a machine gun on October 19, 2011 in Sirte, Libya. VanDyke was captured by Libyan government forces after joining Libyan rebel forces on the front line. He spent nearly six months in jail before being released. For use with UPI story bc-liyba-protests-mercenary. UPI

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U.S. national Matthew VanDyke poses with a poster circulated during his imprisonment in Libya at his childhood home in Baltimore, Maryland recently. VanDyke was captured by Libyan government forces after joining Libyan rebel forces on the front line. He spent nearly six months in jail before being released. For use with UPI story bc-liyba-protests-mercenary. UPI/Mike Theiler

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U.S. national Matthew VanDyke poses with a poster of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi at his childhood home in Baltimore, Maryland recently. VanDyke was captured by Libyan government forces after joining Libyan rebel forces on the front line. He spent nearly six months in jail before being released. For use with UPI story bc-liyba-protests-mercenary. UPI/Mike Theiler

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U.S. national Matthew VanDyke poses with the new national Libyan flag at his childhood home in Baltimore, Maryland recently. VanDyke was captured by Libyan government forces after joining Libyan resistance forces on the front line. He spent nearly six months in jail before being released. For use with UPI story bc-liyba-protests-mercenary. UPI/Mike Theiler

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