Tunisian government split over Libya extradition

Tunisia's president says the prime minister overstepped his authority in extraditing a top associate of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi back to Libya, and has vowed to bring the matter before the elected assembly.

Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali ordered the extradition of former Libyan Prime Minister Al-Baghdadi Al-Mahmoudi Sunday, despite fears he might be killed or tortured.

Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki had opposed the extradition and said it was done without his knowledge.

In a strongly worded statement conveyed by his spokesman Adnan Mancer late Sunday, Marzouki said the extradition was a violation of Tunisia's international commitments.

Marzouki asserted that he was responsible for foreign policy, not the prime minister, who is from a different political party.

It is feared the controversy may provoke a rupture in the ruling coalition.