Ali Tarhouni, a rebel minister, announced that the assassination of Gen Younes had been conducted by "renegade" members of the Abu Obeida al-Jarrah brigade which had taken Gen Younes into custody on suspicion of treason. He pledged an immediate investigation.So secretive is the Abu Obeida al-Jarrah Brigade - said to be one of at least 30 semi-independent militias operating in the east of the country - that until yesterday few in the rebel capital had ever heard of it.
The fact that it takes its name from one of the Prophet Mohammed's companions and most successful military commanders is itself alone an indication of Islamist bent, observers say.
Unlike the other militias, the Brigade seems to exercise considerable power within the rebel movement. Since Gen Younes's death, it has emerged that the group was in charge of internal security in Benghazi, essentially operating as a secret police force.
Its influence was further underlined by the fact that the TNC charged it with the extraordinarily delicate task of arresting Gen Younes, who served as Col Gaddafi's internal security chief until his defection at the start of the rebellion, and brining him back to Banghazi for questioning.
The commanderh ad apparently been accused of passing battlefield plans to his former superiors in Tripoli.