Tripoli, Oct 18 (IANS): Libya's national defence and security committee has called for an urgent investigation into allegations about Foreign Minister Mohamed Sayala granting a diplomatic passport to a foreigner.

Tarek al-Jaroushi, a member of the committee, on Tuesday said that the defence committee called on the general intelligence agency and the Attorney General to start an urgent investigation into this case plus "officially order cancelling of passports issued to foreigners and circulate the cancellation of passports to the ports", Xinhua reported.

Tarek Shoaib, Deputy Foreign Minister of the government of national accord, earlier accused Sayala of granting diplomatic passports to foreigners, including the Syrian wife of the Vice President of the Libyan-Arab bank Mohamed Abdel-Jawad.

Sayala responded, saying that the passport was renewed "because it was issued during the time of former regime by order of the previous leader (Muammar Gaddafi)"

"It was also renewed by the successive governments that came after the February uprising."