On 29 April 2012, his body was found floating on the New Danube, Vienna.
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Libya had been diplomatically isolated and subject to international sanctions since the November 1991 indictment of two Libyans for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 on 21 December 1988 (the Lockerbie bombing).
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Ghanem's body was found fully clothed floating at 5 AM instead of the reported 08:40 CEST on 29 April 2012 in a branch of the River Danube though there were no signs of violence.