TRIPOLI, Libya - Libya's chief forensic pathologist says an autopsy has confirmed that Moammar Gadhafi was killed by a shot to the head.
Dr. Othman al-Zintani says doctors completed the examination on Sunday but he won't disclose more details until he delivers a report to the attorney general.
Bloody images of Gadhafi being taunted and beaten by his captors in his hometown of Sirte have raised questions about whether he was killed in crossfire as suggested by the government or deliberately executed.
International concern about the issue has clouded plans by the transitional government to declare liberation later Sunday after months of bloodshed amid a rebellion to oust the hated leader of nearly 42 years.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) — With dictator Moammar Gadhafi dead, Libya's new rulers were to declare liberation Sunday, formally ending an eight-month-old civil war and ushering in a two-year transition to democracy fraught with uncertainty.
Indecision over what to do with Gadhafi's remains overshadowed what was to be a joyful day. The 69-year-old was captured alive Thursday, then taunted, beaten and killed in unclear circumstances in his hometown of Sirte. His body has been on public display in a commercial freezer in a shopping center in the port city of Misrata.
Libyans seemed relieved the country's ruler of 42 years was killed, with many saying his death cleared the way for a new beginning. "If he (Gadhafi) was taken to court, this would create more chaos, and would encourage his supporters," said Salah Zlitni, 31, who owns a pizza parlor in downtown Tripoli. "Now it's over."
