TRIPOLI: The leader of Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood political party said Saturday that the country’s prime minister — who was briefly abducted by militia members earlier this week — has failed and needs to be replaced.

Mohammed Sawan, leader of Justice and Construction party, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Saturday from Benghazi that the Libyan Parliament is “seriously searching for an alternative” to Ali Zidan. Sawan said mismanagement by Zidan’s government might have led to “irresponsible actions” by individuals, referring to kidnapping.

Simmering tensions in Libya were inflamed by an Oct. 5 raid by US special forces that snatched a Libyan Al-Qaeda suspect known as Abu Anas Al-Libi off the streets of Tripoli and whisked him off to custody in a US warship. “This was a blatant violation to the national sovereignty,” Sawan said. He added: “It has caused big problems and grave repercussions.”

Zidan for months has been facing mounting pressures from Parliament, first by conservative blocs including the Muslim Brotherhood and another group of Salafis. Independents later joined the criticism of Zidan over allegations of corruption and wasting public fund, as well as the country’s deteriorating security.

On Friday, Zidan described his abduction as an attempted coup by his rivals, using militias that he said are trying to “terrorize” the government and turn the country into another Afghanistan or Somalia.

“I wish he named the political party he thinks is behind the operation,” Sawan said, adding that Zidan told his lawmakers that he didn’t mean Muslim Brotherhood. “We are against any action that violates legitimacy.”