Developereo
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Libyan military launches air strike on protesters: Report
- Thread starter Lankan Ranger
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GodlessBastard
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I was offered a job in Libya a few years ago.
I'm glad I turned that down, lol....
I'm glad I turned that down, lol....
hembo
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Gaddafi says protesters are on hallucinogenic drugs
CAIRO | Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:05am EST
CAIRO (Reuters) - Muammar Gaddafi blamed a revolt against his rule on al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Thursday, and said the protesters were fueled by milk and Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs, in a rambling appeal for calm.
Gaddafi, who just two days ago vowed in a televised address to crush the revolt and fight to the last, showed none of the fist-thumping rage of that speech.
This time, he spoke to state television by telephone without appearing in person, and his tone seemed more conciliatory, with much of his country out of government control.
"Their ages are 17. They give them pills at night, they put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafe," said Gaddafi.
"They are criminals ... is it logical that you let this phenomenon continue in any city? ... We do not see what is happening in Egypt and Tunisia happening in Libya, ever!"
"Those (in Egypt and Tunisia) are people needing their governments and they have demands; our power is in the hands of the people," he said, a typical reference to his idiosyncratic rule, which he says is based on giving power direct to the people.
Gaddafi, battling to preserve his 41-year rule and his "Third Universal Theory," outlined in his "Green Book," offered condolences to those killed in the bloodshed and called for calm among people he said were fighting among themselves. Saying bin Laden was "the real criminal," Gaddafi urged Libyans not be swayed by the al Qaeda leader.
Libyan authorities tend to group anyone who challenges the ruling system under the umbrella of al Qaeda, and anyone accused of association with the group is likely to face extrajudicial punishment.
"Bin Laden ... this is the enemy who is manipulating people," Gaddafi said, adding: "Do not be swayed by bin Laden."
"From a national, moral, ethical standpoint ... they should stop. I have no authority stemming from laws or decisions or anything else, I just have moral authority. I only have moral authority," he said.
Gaddafi has long sought to present himself as figurehead of a revolution that is led by the people, rather than a traditional executive head of state.
"No sane person" would join the protests against his rule, Gaddafi said, calling on citizens to disarm those who were protesting.
"Remember in the Iraq war: the United States and Britain said they had reason to intervene. Qaeda and the international terrorists work together ... Saddam Hussein had a relationship to al Qaeda ... look what America did," he said.
Referring to violent clashes taking place in the town of Zawiyah, about 50 km (30 miles) from the capital Tripoli, Gaddafi said: "What is happening in Zawiyah is a farce ... Sane men don't enter such a farce."
"You people of Zawiyah, stop your children, take their weapons, bring them away from Bin Laden, the pills will kill them," he said. "Leave the country calm."
(Reporting by Cairo bureau, Writing by Peter Millership and Edmund Blair)
CAIRO | Thu Feb 24, 2011 11:05am EST
CAIRO (Reuters) - Muammar Gaddafi blamed a revolt against his rule on al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Thursday, and said the protesters were fueled by milk and Nescafe spiked with hallucinogenic drugs, in a rambling appeal for calm.
Gaddafi, who just two days ago vowed in a televised address to crush the revolt and fight to the last, showed none of the fist-thumping rage of that speech.
This time, he spoke to state television by telephone without appearing in person, and his tone seemed more conciliatory, with much of his country out of government control.
"Their ages are 17. They give them pills at night, they put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafe," said Gaddafi.
"They are criminals ... is it logical that you let this phenomenon continue in any city? ... We do not see what is happening in Egypt and Tunisia happening in Libya, ever!"
"Those (in Egypt and Tunisia) are people needing their governments and they have demands; our power is in the hands of the people," he said, a typical reference to his idiosyncratic rule, which he says is based on giving power direct to the people.
Gaddafi, battling to preserve his 41-year rule and his "Third Universal Theory," outlined in his "Green Book," offered condolences to those killed in the bloodshed and called for calm among people he said were fighting among themselves. Saying bin Laden was "the real criminal," Gaddafi urged Libyans not be swayed by the al Qaeda leader.
Libyan authorities tend to group anyone who challenges the ruling system under the umbrella of al Qaeda, and anyone accused of association with the group is likely to face extrajudicial punishment.
"Bin Laden ... this is the enemy who is manipulating people," Gaddafi said, adding: "Do not be swayed by bin Laden."
"From a national, moral, ethical standpoint ... they should stop. I have no authority stemming from laws or decisions or anything else, I just have moral authority. I only have moral authority," he said.
Gaddafi has long sought to present himself as figurehead of a revolution that is led by the people, rather than a traditional executive head of state.
"No sane person" would join the protests against his rule, Gaddafi said, calling on citizens to disarm those who were protesting.
"Remember in the Iraq war: the United States and Britain said they had reason to intervene. Qaeda and the international terrorists work together ... Saddam Hussein had a relationship to al Qaeda ... look what America did," he said.
Referring to violent clashes taking place in the town of Zawiyah, about 50 km (30 miles) from the capital Tripoli, Gaddafi said: "What is happening in Zawiyah is a farce ... Sane men don't enter such a farce."
"You people of Zawiyah, stop your children, take their weapons, bring them away from Bin Laden, the pills will kill them," he said. "Leave the country calm."
(Reporting by Cairo bureau, Writing by Peter Millership and Edmund Blair)
hembo
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Al Qaeda backs Libyan protesters and condemns Gaddafi
DUBAI | Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:59am EST
DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's North African wing has condemned Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and expressed solidarity with protesters revolting against his rule, the SITE Intelligence Group quoted it as saying on Thursday.
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) accused Gaddafi of hiring African mercenaries and ordering aircraft to fire on protestors, SITE said, citing a jihadist statement issued on Thursday.
AQIM urged Muslim scholars, thinkers and journalists to support the Libyan people in their uprising.
"We were pained by the carnage and the cowardly massacres carried out by the killer of innocents Gaddafi against our people and our unarmed Muslim brothers who only came to lift his oppression, his disbelief, his tyranny and his might," AQIM was quoted as saying in the statement.
"We only came out to defend you against these despots who usurped your rights, plundered your wealth, and prevented you from having the minimum requirements of a dignified life and the simplest meanings of freedom and human dignity," AQIM said.
The group, under pressure from Algerian security forces in the north, moved some of its operations to the desert area straddling Niger, Mali, Algeria and Mauritania where the vast expanses and porous borders have provided it with a safe haven.
Massive protests have swept through Arab countries in past weeks, threatening Gaddafi's four-decade rule after toppling the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia.
"We call upon the Muslim Libyan people to have steadfastness and patience, and we incite them to continue their struggle and revolution and to escalate it to oust the criminal tyrant," the group said.
(Reporting by Martina Fuchs; Editing by Maria Golovnina)
DUBAI | Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:59am EST
DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda's North African wing has condemned Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and expressed solidarity with protesters revolting against his rule, the SITE Intelligence Group quoted it as saying on Thursday.
Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) accused Gaddafi of hiring African mercenaries and ordering aircraft to fire on protestors, SITE said, citing a jihadist statement issued on Thursday.
AQIM urged Muslim scholars, thinkers and journalists to support the Libyan people in their uprising.
"We were pained by the carnage and the cowardly massacres carried out by the killer of innocents Gaddafi against our people and our unarmed Muslim brothers who only came to lift his oppression, his disbelief, his tyranny and his might," AQIM was quoted as saying in the statement.
"We only came out to defend you against these despots who usurped your rights, plundered your wealth, and prevented you from having the minimum requirements of a dignified life and the simplest meanings of freedom and human dignity," AQIM said.
The group, under pressure from Algerian security forces in the north, moved some of its operations to the desert area straddling Niger, Mali, Algeria and Mauritania where the vast expanses and porous borders have provided it with a safe haven.
Massive protests have swept through Arab countries in past weeks, threatening Gaddafi's four-decade rule after toppling the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia.
"We call upon the Muslim Libyan people to have steadfastness and patience, and we incite them to continue their struggle and revolution and to escalate it to oust the criminal tyrant," the group said.
(Reporting by Martina Fuchs; Editing by Maria Golovnina)
hembo
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Gaddafi facing final stand in Tripoli
By Middle East correspondent Anne Barker and wires
Updated 56 minutes ago
A Libyan policeman who defected mans a checkpoint in the eastern city of Tobruk on Thursday (AFP)
Key towns in Libya's west have reportedly been the scene of fierce clashes as anti-government protesters close in on dictator Moamar Gaddafi's stronghold in the capital, Tripoli.
Mr Gaddafi's forces now control an ever-shrinking share of the country, and it appears the critical fight will come down to Tripoli, where his forces and supporters are at their strongest.
In the past 24 hours, much of the capital was deserted as residents sought refuge at home.
But protesters, with the help of defected soldiers, are now vowing to march on the capital for a final battle they hope will end Mr Gaddafi's 42-year rule.
A rapid flow of reports on Twitter have told of Mr Gaddafi's forces and hired mercenaries opening fire on civilians at Zawiya, about 30 kilometres west of Tripoli.
Many spoke of heavy gunfire and even anti-aircraft missiles being used to attack protesters, including inside a mosque.
A witness on Al Jazeera television described it as a massacre.
"More than 100 people - there's about 200 to 300 people shooted - about 100 of them have died now. I think they are planning to attack us again this night," the man said.
There were accounts too of fighting at Misurata, another western town and the scene of ongoing clashes.
But then came reports that anti-government groups there had taken control.
One video on YouTube purports to show protesters or deserting soldiers parading with military weapons.
Defiant
The Libyan leader still sees no reason to step down.
Overnight, Libyan television aired what it said was another speech by Mr Gaddafi made by telephone, where he blamed the unrest on young Libyans who have been brainwashed by drugs or Al Qaeda.
"It is obvious that this is run by Al Qaeda, " he said. "You in Zawiyah turn to bin Laden. They give you drugs.
"Those armed youngsters, our children, are incited by people who are wanted by America and the Western world.
"People were getting all their daily needs ... why did you have to get involved with the bin Laden ideology?
"They have been brainwashing the kids in this area and tell them to misbehave... the ones who are under bin Laden's influence and authority, under the influence of drugs."
He told the Libyan people he has no control.
"I am not interested in anything. Since 1977 I hand over power to you. I have no say on orders or decisions or laws," he said.
"It is the people who rule itself. You have the prerogative to deal with your own affairs as you wish."
The speech was the embattled leader's second television appearance since protests broke out against his rule on February 15.
On Tuesday, in a defiant, sometimes rambling speech, Mr Gaddafi vowed to remain in Libya as head of its revolution, saying he would die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors and fight to the "last drop" of his blood.
He also ordered the army and police to crush the popular uprising against his iron-fisted, four-decade rule that has left hundreds dead.
By Middle East correspondent Anne Barker and wires
Updated 56 minutes ago
A Libyan policeman who defected mans a checkpoint in the eastern city of Tobruk on Thursday (AFP)
Key towns in Libya's west have reportedly been the scene of fierce clashes as anti-government protesters close in on dictator Moamar Gaddafi's stronghold in the capital, Tripoli.
Mr Gaddafi's forces now control an ever-shrinking share of the country, and it appears the critical fight will come down to Tripoli, where his forces and supporters are at their strongest.
In the past 24 hours, much of the capital was deserted as residents sought refuge at home.
But protesters, with the help of defected soldiers, are now vowing to march on the capital for a final battle they hope will end Mr Gaddafi's 42-year rule.
A rapid flow of reports on Twitter have told of Mr Gaddafi's forces and hired mercenaries opening fire on civilians at Zawiya, about 30 kilometres west of Tripoli.
Many spoke of heavy gunfire and even anti-aircraft missiles being used to attack protesters, including inside a mosque.
A witness on Al Jazeera television described it as a massacre.
"More than 100 people - there's about 200 to 300 people shooted - about 100 of them have died now. I think they are planning to attack us again this night," the man said.
There were accounts too of fighting at Misurata, another western town and the scene of ongoing clashes.
But then came reports that anti-government groups there had taken control.
One video on YouTube purports to show protesters or deserting soldiers parading with military weapons.
Defiant
The Libyan leader still sees no reason to step down.
Overnight, Libyan television aired what it said was another speech by Mr Gaddafi made by telephone, where he blamed the unrest on young Libyans who have been brainwashed by drugs or Al Qaeda.
"It is obvious that this is run by Al Qaeda, " he said. "You in Zawiyah turn to bin Laden. They give you drugs.
"Those armed youngsters, our children, are incited by people who are wanted by America and the Western world.
"People were getting all their daily needs ... why did you have to get involved with the bin Laden ideology?
"They have been brainwashing the kids in this area and tell them to misbehave... the ones who are under bin Laden's influence and authority, under the influence of drugs."
He told the Libyan people he has no control.
"I am not interested in anything. Since 1977 I hand over power to you. I have no say on orders or decisions or laws," he said.
"It is the people who rule itself. You have the prerogative to deal with your own affairs as you wish."
The speech was the embattled leader's second television appearance since protests broke out against his rule on February 15.
On Tuesday, in a defiant, sometimes rambling speech, Mr Gaddafi vowed to remain in Libya as head of its revolution, saying he would die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors and fight to the "last drop" of his blood.
He also ordered the army and police to crush the popular uprising against his iron-fisted, four-decade rule that has left hundreds dead.
Water Car Engineer
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hembo
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Libya: International response gathers pace after Gaddafi counterattacksNo-fly zone or sanctions among options being considered as world bids to force Libyan leader to end the violence
Ian Black and Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk, Thursday 24 February 2011 20.45 GMT
International efforts to respond to the Libyan crisis are gathering pace under US leadership after a still defiant Muammar Gaddafi launched counterattacks to defend Tripoli against the popular uprising now consolidating its hold on the liberated east of the country.
The White House said Barack Obama planned to call David Cameron and France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy, to discuss possible actions, including a no-fly zone or sanctions to force the Libyan leader to end the violence. Switzerland said it had frozen Gaddafi's assets.
Gaddafi, in power for 42 years, has used aircraft, tanks and foreign mercenaries in eight days of violence that has killed hundreds in the bloodiest of the uprisings to shake the Arab world. Up to 2,000 people may have died, it was claimed by a senior French human rights official.
But there was no sign Gaddafi was prepared to change course. In another semi-coherent and abusive speech on Thursday, he accused protesters of being drugged and agents of al-Qaida. "Their ages are 17. They give them pills at night, they put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafé," he said in a telephone interview with Libyan state TV – suggesting he may already have left his heavily guarded Tripoli compound.
It only boosted the growing impression that he is desperate and out of touch with reality. "This is the speech of a dead man," said Said el-Gareeny in the eastern city of Benghazi, which is now in opposition hands.
"People always warn about al-Qaida and say this will become an Islamic state ... to get support from western countries. This isn't true. The Libyan people are free. That's it."
Cameron will take personal charge of efforts to set up convoys, protected by the military, able to evacuate British and other citizens stranded in camps in the Libyan desert amid growing fears that they could be taken hostage. The Foreign Office estimates there are 150 Britons, mostly oil workers and support staff, stranded in remote and isolated camps scattered over a large distance.
A possible airlift by special forces will also be examined. The defence secretary, Liam Fox, said he was co-ordinating a response with Nato as well as looking at the state of Libyan air defences and the risk they pose to UK forces. British special forces are in Malta, with some reports that they are in Tripoli.
Heavy fighting was reported from the important town of al-Zawiya, 35 miles west of Tripoli, while armoured units commanded by Gaddafi's son Khamis and other loyalist forces were deployed eastwards along the coastal road towards Misurata, the country's third largest city and a major port – said to be in the hands of rebels who are now equipped with heavy weapons.
Reports from Libya said between 23 and 100 people had been killed in al-Zawiya, which controls the western approaches to Tripoli.
Medical sources in the capital reported that the corpses of those killed in recent days and injured patients were removed from the Tripoli medical centre and another hospital.
Witnesses said they had been taken to Mitiga military airport. "They are trying to hide the evidence and cleaning up the streets and telling people to go to work," said one man. "But from dusk onwards it's a ghost town."
In eastern Libya, many soldiers have now withdrawn from active service and some are supporting the revolt, with a former Gaddafi minister helping to organise the next stage of the uprising.
Ian Black and Patrick Wintour guardian.co.uk, Thursday 24 February 2011 20.45 GMT
International efforts to respond to the Libyan crisis are gathering pace under US leadership after a still defiant Muammar Gaddafi launched counterattacks to defend Tripoli against the popular uprising now consolidating its hold on the liberated east of the country.
The White House said Barack Obama planned to call David Cameron and France's president, Nicolas Sarkozy, to discuss possible actions, including a no-fly zone or sanctions to force the Libyan leader to end the violence. Switzerland said it had frozen Gaddafi's assets.
Gaddafi, in power for 42 years, has used aircraft, tanks and foreign mercenaries in eight days of violence that has killed hundreds in the bloodiest of the uprisings to shake the Arab world. Up to 2,000 people may have died, it was claimed by a senior French human rights official.
But there was no sign Gaddafi was prepared to change course. In another semi-coherent and abusive speech on Thursday, he accused protesters of being drugged and agents of al-Qaida. "Their ages are 17. They give them pills at night, they put hallucinatory pills in their drinks, their milk, their coffee, their Nescafé," he said in a telephone interview with Libyan state TV – suggesting he may already have left his heavily guarded Tripoli compound.
It only boosted the growing impression that he is desperate and out of touch with reality. "This is the speech of a dead man," said Said el-Gareeny in the eastern city of Benghazi, which is now in opposition hands.
"People always warn about al-Qaida and say this will become an Islamic state ... to get support from western countries. This isn't true. The Libyan people are free. That's it."
Cameron will take personal charge of efforts to set up convoys, protected by the military, able to evacuate British and other citizens stranded in camps in the Libyan desert amid growing fears that they could be taken hostage. The Foreign Office estimates there are 150 Britons, mostly oil workers and support staff, stranded in remote and isolated camps scattered over a large distance.
A possible airlift by special forces will also be examined. The defence secretary, Liam Fox, said he was co-ordinating a response with Nato as well as looking at the state of Libyan air defences and the risk they pose to UK forces. British special forces are in Malta, with some reports that they are in Tripoli.
Heavy fighting was reported from the important town of al-Zawiya, 35 miles west of Tripoli, while armoured units commanded by Gaddafi's son Khamis and other loyalist forces were deployed eastwards along the coastal road towards Misurata, the country's third largest city and a major port – said to be in the hands of rebels who are now equipped with heavy weapons.
Reports from Libya said between 23 and 100 people had been killed in al-Zawiya, which controls the western approaches to Tripoli.
Medical sources in the capital reported that the corpses of those killed in recent days and injured patients were removed from the Tripoli medical centre and another hospital.
Witnesses said they had been taken to Mitiga military airport. "They are trying to hide the evidence and cleaning up the streets and telling people to go to work," said one man. "But from dusk onwards it's a ghost town."
In eastern Libya, many soldiers have now withdrawn from active service and some are supporting the revolt, with a former Gaddafi minister helping to organise the next stage of the uprising.
CardSharp
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ahahahahahha, he may be a brutal tyrant but at least he is alway entertaining.
jha
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Britain to seize Gaddafi's London assets: Report
LONDON: Britain will shortly seize billions of pounds in assets that Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi has stored in the European country, the Telegraph newspaper reported today.
Britain's finance department has set up a unit to trace Gaddafi's British assets which it believes include bank accounts, commercial property and a USD 16.1 million London home, the paper said.
"The first priority is to get British nationals out of Libya," a government source told the British daily.
"But then we are ready to move in on Gaddafi's assets, the work is under way. This is definitely on the radar at the highest levels."
Britain understands that Gaddafi owns around 20 billion pounds in liquid assets, mostly in London. According to the paper, these will be frozen "within days."
The international community has rounded on the long-serving ruler after he responded to anti-regime demonstrations with a violent crackdown that has claimed hundreds of lives.
Britain to seize Gaddafi's London assets: Report - The Times of India
LONDON: Britain will shortly seize billions of pounds in assets that Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi has stored in the European country, the Telegraph newspaper reported today.
Britain's finance department has set up a unit to trace Gaddafi's British assets which it believes include bank accounts, commercial property and a USD 16.1 million London home, the paper said.
"The first priority is to get British nationals out of Libya," a government source told the British daily.
"But then we are ready to move in on Gaddafi's assets, the work is under way. This is definitely on the radar at the highest levels."
Britain understands that Gaddafi owns around 20 billion pounds in liquid assets, mostly in London. According to the paper, these will be frozen "within days."
The international community has rounded on the long-serving ruler after he responded to anti-regime demonstrations with a violent crackdown that has claimed hundreds of lives.
Britain to seize Gaddafi's London assets: Report - The Times of India
dabong1
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“Airstrikes in Libya did not take place” – Russian military
If the rebels have taken over so much of libya how comes theres no pics of mass killing or bombing of civilains?
If the rebels have taken over so much of libya how comes theres no pics of mass killing or bombing of civilains?
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hembo
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Libyan warplane strikes near battle front, 6 dead
Rebels clashed with forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi Wednesday, as the two sides battled fiercely for an oil port and an airstrip.
The fighting prompted the rebels to issue a warning that foreign military might be needed to “put the nail in his coffin” and end Gadhafi’s rule.
Gadhafi vowed Wednesday to fight to the “last man and last woman” in order to defend his country.
The chaos has other nations mulling the idea of a no-fly zone and wondering how to rescue – and then what to do with – refugees in that land. A UN official tells The Associated Press the refugee crisis has now topped 180,000 in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia.
Here is a look at the latest in the Arab world.
LIBYA
• Opponents of Gadhafi repelled an attack by the Libyan leader's forces trying to retake a key coastal oil installation in a topsy-turvy battle Wednesday in which shells splashed in the Mediterranean and a warplane bombed a beach where rebel fighters were charging over the dunes.
At least six people were killed in the fighting.
A Libyan warplane dropped a bomb on Wednesday that exploded close to an oil engineering university in the eastern port of Brega, about two kilometres from the oil exporting terminal.
“I heard the plane go over and an explosion,” said Reuters correspondent Mohammed Abbas, close to the scene.
“There is a crater now about 8 metres.”
The assault on the Brega oil port appeared to be the first significant attempt by Gadhafi's regime to push back against the large swath of territory in opposition hands — almost the entire eastern half of the country.
• Several hundred protesters burned copies of Gadhafi's ‘Green Book’ in the eastern city of Benghazi on Wednesday, an act of contempt unthinkable just three weeks ago.
Protesters chanted, waved signs and danced as they tossed copies of the book, which outlines the ideas behind Gadhafi's Third Universal Theory, onto a large fire, sending thick plumes of smoke and ash into the air.
“House by house, alley by alley, oh Muammar, oh you donkey,” demonstrators chanted, ridiculing Gaddafi's pledge to cleanse the country “house by house”.
• The major fight sparked a rebel warning that foreign military help might be needed to “put the nail in his coffin” and end his long rule.
Government troops briefly captured Marsa El Brega, an oil export terminal, before being driven back by rebels who have controlled the town 800 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli for about a week, rebel officers said.
Their account was contradicted by Libyan state TV, which said Gadhafi's forces held the airport and seaport, and the veteran leader told an applauding audience the world did not understand that he had given power to the people long ago.
The sound of screaming warplanes and the crackle of heavy gunfire could be heard as witnesses spoke to The Associated Press by phone.
• Libyan leader Gadhafi has warned “thousands of Libyans” will die if the U.S. or NATO intervene in his country.
He said on Wednesday the world did not understand the Libyan system that puts power in the hands of the people.
“Muammar Gadhafi is not a president to resign, he does not even have a parliament to dissolve,” he said in a speech, adding that he held “no position from which to step down.”
“The Libyan system is a system of the people and no one can go against the authority of the people. . . . The people are free to choose the authority they see fit,” he said.
• Gadhafi said Libya would open its doors to an international investigation and said the United Nations had taken decisions based on false reports.
“How can the United Nations take decisions based on 100 per cent false news?” he said in a speech.
He also vowed to fight to the “last man and last woman” to defend his country. “We will defend Libya from the north to the south,” he said.
The Libyan leader said he was willing to discuss constitutional and legal change without arms or chaos and was ready to talk with Al Qaeda if they had demands.
• “There is a conspiracy to control the Libyan oil and to control the Libyan land, to colonize Libya once again,” he said.
Libyan state TV showed images of Gadhafi attending a Libyan national political celebration in Tripoli in which he was surrounded by people who chanted: “You will remain great.”
The images came from inside a hall, where there long red curtains and Gaddafi moved through the hall before sitting on a podium in front of the gathering. He joined them in singing the national anthem.
LIBYA – REACTION
• ‘A giant Somalia’: “One of our biggest concerns is Libya descending into chaos and becoming a giant Somalia. It's right now not something that we see in the offing but many of the al Qaeda activists in Afghanistan and later in Iraq came from Libya and came from eastern Libya, which is now the so-called free area of Libya,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told U.S. lawmakers Wednesday.
• Summit postponed: An Arab summit scheduled for March has been postponed until May, Al Arabiya television reported on Wednesday, quoting diplomats. Iraq is scheduled to host the annual Arab summit, which was held in Libya last year.
• Frozen assets: Spain's Foreign Ministry says the country will freeze assets belonging to Gadhafi's regime.
A ministry official says Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez said the Libyan assets include a sprawling piece of land in Malaga in southern Spain.
• Evacuating refugees: France is sending military transport planes and a naval landing ship to evacuate some 5,000 Egyptian workers fleeing violence in Libya within the next week, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron says the UK has launched an operation to airlift Egyptian refugees stranded on the Libyan-Tunisian border. He says the first flight is scheduled to leave the UK later Wednesday.
He says it vital to do this, and that “these people shouldn't be kept in transit camps.”
Spanish Prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero said Spain has already sent a plane with 30 tons of humanitarian aid to the Libyan-Tunisian border and has another plane available, both for more aid or for moving refugees.
• Arab League reaction: The Arab League said on Wednesday it could impose a “no fly” zone on Libya in co-ordination with the African Union if fighting continued in the north African state, Secretary-General Amr Moussa said on Wednesday.
The Libya crisis is an internal Arab affair and foreign powers should refrain from any intervention, Iraq's foreign minister said at meeting of the Arab League, which has suspended Gadhafi's government.
Arab foreign ministers called on the Libyan leadership on Wednesday to take “brave” decisions to stop violence and respect the “legitimate rights” of the people.
• Preventing more violence: A statement issued Wednesday by a UN committee of experts responsible for monitoring racial discrimination worldwide says the UN and its member governments must act to prevent further violence.
It warns of “the risk of inter-ethnic violence and divisions which might worsen the deteriorating situation in Libya.”
• Mulling no-fly zone: Diplomats at NATO and the European Union said some countries, including United States and Britain, are already drawing up contingency plans to prevent Gadhafi's air force from carrying out air strikes against the rebels.
It is unlikely that U.S. planners will reach a decision soon on whether to establish a no-fly zone over Libya, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday.
“I think we are a long way from making that decision,” she said.
Establishing a no-fly zone would require an attack on Libya to cripple the country's air defenses, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.
“Let's just call a spade a spade. A no-fly zone begins with an attack on Libya to destroy the air defenses . . . and then you can fly planes around the country and not worry about our guys being shot down,” Gates said during a congressional hearing.
• Migrant worries: Some 350 Tunisian migrants arrived by boat Wednesday on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa, the first in a week amid Italians fears of a wave of North Africans fleeing turmoil at home.
Local police said the boat arrived overnight, and that the migrants were in good condition.
YEMEN
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called the White House on Wednesday to express regret for “misunderstandings” related to his remarks about the United States and Israel and say he is firmly committed to political reform in Yemen, the White House said.
Saleh chastized Washington on Tuesday for its criticism of Arab leaders' responses to regional unrest, asking U.S. President Barack Obama if he was “president of the world.”
Yemen's opposition presented Saleh with a road map on Wednesday for a smooth transition of power this year, offering him a graceful exit as street pressure grew for him to step down now.
The road map included changing the constitution, rewriting election laws and removing his relatives from leadership positions in the army and security forces, all while guaranteeing the right of peaceful protest.
However, illustrating the potential for rifts among his diverse opponents, young activists who have taken the lead in ever-swelling street protests demanded immediate change in the Arabian Peninsula state.
“Get out. Get out. Get out,” protesters chanted near Sanaa University, where once-small student-led protests have grown into daily rallies of 10,000 or more. “No negotiation and no dialogue until the regime leaves.”
IRAQ
The United Nations says it's concerned about reports of human rights violations during nationwide protests in Iraq.
UN's Special Representative to Iraq Ad Melkert said in a statement on Wednesday that reported violations included “disproportionate” use of force by security forces against protesters.
Melkert has also voiced concern over restrictions on the media and arrests of journalists across the country.
With files from Associated Press, Reuters
Rebels clashed with forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi Wednesday, as the two sides battled fiercely for an oil port and an airstrip.
The fighting prompted the rebels to issue a warning that foreign military might be needed to “put the nail in his coffin” and end Gadhafi’s rule.
Gadhafi vowed Wednesday to fight to the “last man and last woman” in order to defend his country.
The chaos has other nations mulling the idea of a no-fly zone and wondering how to rescue – and then what to do with – refugees in that land. A UN official tells The Associated Press the refugee crisis has now topped 180,000 in Libya, Egypt and Tunisia.
Here is a look at the latest in the Arab world.
LIBYA
• Opponents of Gadhafi repelled an attack by the Libyan leader's forces trying to retake a key coastal oil installation in a topsy-turvy battle Wednesday in which shells splashed in the Mediterranean and a warplane bombed a beach where rebel fighters were charging over the dunes.
At least six people were killed in the fighting.
A Libyan warplane dropped a bomb on Wednesday that exploded close to an oil engineering university in the eastern port of Brega, about two kilometres from the oil exporting terminal.
“I heard the plane go over and an explosion,” said Reuters correspondent Mohammed Abbas, close to the scene.
“There is a crater now about 8 metres.”
The assault on the Brega oil port appeared to be the first significant attempt by Gadhafi's regime to push back against the large swath of territory in opposition hands — almost the entire eastern half of the country.
• Several hundred protesters burned copies of Gadhafi's ‘Green Book’ in the eastern city of Benghazi on Wednesday, an act of contempt unthinkable just three weeks ago.
Protesters chanted, waved signs and danced as they tossed copies of the book, which outlines the ideas behind Gadhafi's Third Universal Theory, onto a large fire, sending thick plumes of smoke and ash into the air.
“House by house, alley by alley, oh Muammar, oh you donkey,” demonstrators chanted, ridiculing Gaddafi's pledge to cleanse the country “house by house”.
• The major fight sparked a rebel warning that foreign military help might be needed to “put the nail in his coffin” and end his long rule.
Government troops briefly captured Marsa El Brega, an oil export terminal, before being driven back by rebels who have controlled the town 800 kilometres east of the capital Tripoli for about a week, rebel officers said.
Their account was contradicted by Libyan state TV, which said Gadhafi's forces held the airport and seaport, and the veteran leader told an applauding audience the world did not understand that he had given power to the people long ago.
The sound of screaming warplanes and the crackle of heavy gunfire could be heard as witnesses spoke to The Associated Press by phone.
• Libyan leader Gadhafi has warned “thousands of Libyans” will die if the U.S. or NATO intervene in his country.
He said on Wednesday the world did not understand the Libyan system that puts power in the hands of the people.
“Muammar Gadhafi is not a president to resign, he does not even have a parliament to dissolve,” he said in a speech, adding that he held “no position from which to step down.”
“The Libyan system is a system of the people and no one can go against the authority of the people. . . . The people are free to choose the authority they see fit,” he said.
• Gadhafi said Libya would open its doors to an international investigation and said the United Nations had taken decisions based on false reports.
“How can the United Nations take decisions based on 100 per cent false news?” he said in a speech.
He also vowed to fight to the “last man and last woman” to defend his country. “We will defend Libya from the north to the south,” he said.
The Libyan leader said he was willing to discuss constitutional and legal change without arms or chaos and was ready to talk with Al Qaeda if they had demands.
• “There is a conspiracy to control the Libyan oil and to control the Libyan land, to colonize Libya once again,” he said.
Libyan state TV showed images of Gadhafi attending a Libyan national political celebration in Tripoli in which he was surrounded by people who chanted: “You will remain great.”
The images came from inside a hall, where there long red curtains and Gaddafi moved through the hall before sitting on a podium in front of the gathering. He joined them in singing the national anthem.
LIBYA – REACTION
• ‘A giant Somalia’: “One of our biggest concerns is Libya descending into chaos and becoming a giant Somalia. It's right now not something that we see in the offing but many of the al Qaeda activists in Afghanistan and later in Iraq came from Libya and came from eastern Libya, which is now the so-called free area of Libya,” Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told U.S. lawmakers Wednesday.
• Summit postponed: An Arab summit scheduled for March has been postponed until May, Al Arabiya television reported on Wednesday, quoting diplomats. Iraq is scheduled to host the annual Arab summit, which was held in Libya last year.
• Frozen assets: Spain's Foreign Ministry says the country will freeze assets belonging to Gadhafi's regime.
A ministry official says Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez said the Libyan assets include a sprawling piece of land in Malaga in southern Spain.
• Evacuating refugees: France is sending military transport planes and a naval landing ship to evacuate some 5,000 Egyptian workers fleeing violence in Libya within the next week, the Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday.
Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron says the UK has launched an operation to airlift Egyptian refugees stranded on the Libyan-Tunisian border. He says the first flight is scheduled to leave the UK later Wednesday.
He says it vital to do this, and that “these people shouldn't be kept in transit camps.”
Spanish Prime minister Jose Luis Zapatero said Spain has already sent a plane with 30 tons of humanitarian aid to the Libyan-Tunisian border and has another plane available, both for more aid or for moving refugees.
• Arab League reaction: The Arab League said on Wednesday it could impose a “no fly” zone on Libya in co-ordination with the African Union if fighting continued in the north African state, Secretary-General Amr Moussa said on Wednesday.
The Libya crisis is an internal Arab affair and foreign powers should refrain from any intervention, Iraq's foreign minister said at meeting of the Arab League, which has suspended Gadhafi's government.
Arab foreign ministers called on the Libyan leadership on Wednesday to take “brave” decisions to stop violence and respect the “legitimate rights” of the people.
• Preventing more violence: A statement issued Wednesday by a UN committee of experts responsible for monitoring racial discrimination worldwide says the UN and its member governments must act to prevent further violence.
It warns of “the risk of inter-ethnic violence and divisions which might worsen the deteriorating situation in Libya.”
• Mulling no-fly zone: Diplomats at NATO and the European Union said some countries, including United States and Britain, are already drawing up contingency plans to prevent Gadhafi's air force from carrying out air strikes against the rebels.
It is unlikely that U.S. planners will reach a decision soon on whether to establish a no-fly zone over Libya, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday.
“I think we are a long way from making that decision,” she said.
Establishing a no-fly zone would require an attack on Libya to cripple the country's air defenses, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.
“Let's just call a spade a spade. A no-fly zone begins with an attack on Libya to destroy the air defenses . . . and then you can fly planes around the country and not worry about our guys being shot down,” Gates said during a congressional hearing.
• Migrant worries: Some 350 Tunisian migrants arrived by boat Wednesday on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa, the first in a week amid Italians fears of a wave of North Africans fleeing turmoil at home.
Local police said the boat arrived overnight, and that the migrants were in good condition.
YEMEN
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh called the White House on Wednesday to express regret for “misunderstandings” related to his remarks about the United States and Israel and say he is firmly committed to political reform in Yemen, the White House said.
Saleh chastized Washington on Tuesday for its criticism of Arab leaders' responses to regional unrest, asking U.S. President Barack Obama if he was “president of the world.”
Yemen's opposition presented Saleh with a road map on Wednesday for a smooth transition of power this year, offering him a graceful exit as street pressure grew for him to step down now.
The road map included changing the constitution, rewriting election laws and removing his relatives from leadership positions in the army and security forces, all while guaranteeing the right of peaceful protest.
However, illustrating the potential for rifts among his diverse opponents, young activists who have taken the lead in ever-swelling street protests demanded immediate change in the Arabian Peninsula state.
“Get out. Get out. Get out,” protesters chanted near Sanaa University, where once-small student-led protests have grown into daily rallies of 10,000 or more. “No negotiation and no dialogue until the regime leaves.”
IRAQ
The United Nations says it's concerned about reports of human rights violations during nationwide protests in Iraq.
UN's Special Representative to Iraq Ad Melkert said in a statement on Wednesday that reported violations included “disproportionate” use of force by security forces against protesters.
Melkert has also voiced concern over restrictions on the media and arrests of journalists across the country.
With files from Associated Press, Reuters
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has offered an amnesty for rebels who hand back weapons, promising they would be "forgiven and not pursued" even as he warned that his country would be turned into "another Vietnam" if foreign countries intervened.
In a three-hour speech to supporters and international journalists in Tripoli, Gaddafi offered a handful of concessions aimed at those supporting the opposition forces who control more than half the country.
Faced with the threat of armed intervention by the west, he said: "We will enter a bloody war and thousands and thousands of Libyans will die if the United States enters or Nato enters."
Although the defiance had been anticipated, what was surprising was a series of concessions designed to divert support for the escalating uprising and head off the growing threat of military intervention.
Conceding his almost complete isolation, Gaddafi admitted that the world appeared to be against Libya, including India, China and parts of Latin America as well as the US and Europe.
The speech, delivered on Wednesdayas Libyan forces attacked opposition positions in the east of the country, bore all the hallmarks of being shaped by his son Saif al-Islam, who has argued in the past for some of the concessions on offer.
Despite his often fiery rhetoric, Gaddafi delivered the speech calmly, in contrast to fist-waving previous addresses in which he threatened to hunt down opponents like rats.
He promised he would not stand in the way of privately-owned media or a constitution for the country – long espoused by Saif – if that is what people wanted. He also offered an inquiry into violence on both sides.
Despite the offer, Gaddafi's problem will remain one of credibility, not least because of his continued assertion that there had been "no peaceful demonstrations at all", a view challenged even by some of his own officials.
His critics are sceptical that anything he promises can be trusted.
There is the danger for him too that his shift in tone will be seen as a sign of weakness by the opposition, as was the case with both Tunisia's Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, who both offered a series of concessions before being forced to stand down.
Gaddafi also invited a commission of inquiry from the UN security council to investigate events, accusing it of making decisions based on "100% inaccurate media reporting".
Talking of his own position, he said: "Muammar Gaddafi is not a president to resign, he does not even have a parliament to dissolve."
His third public appearance since the uprising took place in a large ballroom at a ceremony to mark 34 years of "people power". He said the regime was ready to discuss the challenges confronting Libyans, but that those fighting had not "approached him but chosen to fight".
Despite the bellicose rhetoric – which included a threat to hand out millions of weapons to his supporters if they are faced with a foreign invasion – he appeared to distance himself from remarks he had made earlier in Green Square, claiming that he was speaking in the language appropriate for the "angry youth" and was now speaking the language appropriate for the international community.
In a highly pointed remark he added that if western companies choose to leave, they would be replaced with "Indian and Chinese companies".
Also on offer from Gaddafi was the promise of increased financial incentives including low interest grants to build homes, presently capped at 30,000 dinars (£15,000), which would increase to over 100,000 dinars. He added that if Benghazi was peaceful it would receive $20bn (£12.5bn) in infrastructure improvements when the violence subsided.
On some issues, however, Gaddafi's language had not changed.
He continued to blame a small number of al-Qaida fighters for inciting the rebellion and the international media for bringing the threat of international action through its inaccurate reporting.
He explained that reporters in the country's east and in Tripoli and the surrounding towns had not encountered al-Qaida because they were staying in the background while the violence raged.
The veteran leader, who once said democracy was for donkeys,told the gathering in Tripoli the world did not understand that he had given power to the people long ago.
"We put our fingers in the eyes of those who doubt that Libya is ruled by anyone other than its people," he said, referring to his system of "direct democracy" launched at a meeting attended by visiting Cuban leader Fidel Castro in 1977.
Referring to the two-week-old popular uprising against his rule, Gaddafi also called for the UN and Nato to investigate the facts about what had happened in Libya, and said he saw a conspiracy to colonise Libya and seize its oil.
In a three-hour speech to supporters and international journalists in Tripoli, Gaddafi offered a handful of concessions aimed at those supporting the opposition forces who control more than half the country.
Faced with the threat of armed intervention by the west, he said: "We will enter a bloody war and thousands and thousands of Libyans will die if the United States enters or Nato enters."
Although the defiance had been anticipated, what was surprising was a series of concessions designed to divert support for the escalating uprising and head off the growing threat of military intervention.
Conceding his almost complete isolation, Gaddafi admitted that the world appeared to be against Libya, including India, China and parts of Latin America as well as the US and Europe.
The speech, delivered on Wednesdayas Libyan forces attacked opposition positions in the east of the country, bore all the hallmarks of being shaped by his son Saif al-Islam, who has argued in the past for some of the concessions on offer.
Despite his often fiery rhetoric, Gaddafi delivered the speech calmly, in contrast to fist-waving previous addresses in which he threatened to hunt down opponents like rats.
He promised he would not stand in the way of privately-owned media or a constitution for the country – long espoused by Saif – if that is what people wanted. He also offered an inquiry into violence on both sides.
Despite the offer, Gaddafi's problem will remain one of credibility, not least because of his continued assertion that there had been "no peaceful demonstrations at all", a view challenged even by some of his own officials.
His critics are sceptical that anything he promises can be trusted.
There is the danger for him too that his shift in tone will be seen as a sign of weakness by the opposition, as was the case with both Tunisia's Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali and Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, who both offered a series of concessions before being forced to stand down.
Gaddafi also invited a commission of inquiry from the UN security council to investigate events, accusing it of making decisions based on "100% inaccurate media reporting".
Talking of his own position, he said: "Muammar Gaddafi is not a president to resign, he does not even have a parliament to dissolve."
His third public appearance since the uprising took place in a large ballroom at a ceremony to mark 34 years of "people power". He said the regime was ready to discuss the challenges confronting Libyans, but that those fighting had not "approached him but chosen to fight".
Despite the bellicose rhetoric – which included a threat to hand out millions of weapons to his supporters if they are faced with a foreign invasion – he appeared to distance himself from remarks he had made earlier in Green Square, claiming that he was speaking in the language appropriate for the "angry youth" and was now speaking the language appropriate for the international community.
In a highly pointed remark he added that if western companies choose to leave, they would be replaced with "Indian and Chinese companies".
Also on offer from Gaddafi was the promise of increased financial incentives including low interest grants to build homes, presently capped at 30,000 dinars (£15,000), which would increase to over 100,000 dinars. He added that if Benghazi was peaceful it would receive $20bn (£12.5bn) in infrastructure improvements when the violence subsided.
On some issues, however, Gaddafi's language had not changed.
He continued to blame a small number of al-Qaida fighters for inciting the rebellion and the international media for bringing the threat of international action through its inaccurate reporting.
He explained that reporters in the country's east and in Tripoli and the surrounding towns had not encountered al-Qaida because they were staying in the background while the violence raged.
The veteran leader, who once said democracy was for donkeys,told the gathering in Tripoli the world did not understand that he had given power to the people long ago.
"We put our fingers in the eyes of those who doubt that Libya is ruled by anyone other than its people," he said, referring to his system of "direct democracy" launched at a meeting attended by visiting Cuban leader Fidel Castro in 1977.
Referring to the two-week-old popular uprising against his rule, Gaddafi also called for the UN and Nato to investigate the facts about what had happened in Libya, and said he saw a conspiracy to colonise Libya and seize its oil.
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