Libya assembly suspends 3 members for alleged Gaddafi links

Members of the national congress take an oath during the handover ceremony of power from the National Transitional Council (NTC) in Tripoli August 8, 2012.

TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Libya's newly elected national assembly on Wednesday suspended three members for having links with former leader Muammar Gaddafi's government, a spokesman said.

Omar al-Hassabi, spokesman for the assembly's High Organisation for Transparency and Nationalism, said the suspensions had followed an investigation into the three.

"We discovered the three representatives were either members of the Gaddafi Revolutionary Guards or involved in criminal anti-revolutionary activities," Hassabi told Reuters.

"For this reason, we advised the National Congress which suspended their membership on Wednesday morning."

In July, Libyans elected the 200-member national assembly which is charged with overseeing the writing of the country's constitution. The elections followed the ousting of Gaddafi in a popular revolt last year.

The three suspended members are Anfish Abdel Moneim representing Tarhouna, Salma Akheil of Zlitan and Ibrahim Adah of Obari. They could not be immediately reached for comment.

Hassabi said they would have 10 days to appeal the decision in court.

The High Organisation for Transparency and Nationalism is tasked with investigating the backgrounds of citizens wishing to run for office.

(Writing By Hadeel Al-Shalchi; Editing by Pravin Char)