News / Africa
We have a right to kill Gaddafi: Nato backed rebels
31 Aug 2011 at 07:49hrs | Views
Tripoli – Muammar Gaddafi is almost certainly in Libya, senior officers of the National Transitional Council said on Wednesday, with one of them adding rebels have the right to kill him if he does not surrender.
"The information I have is this: it is 80% certain that Gaddafi is still in Libya," Omar Hariri, head of military affairs, told AFP in Tripoli, adding that the former strongman was incapable of doing further harm.
Hariri said rebels suspect Gaddafi is hiding either in Bani Walid, southeast of Tripoli, or in the outskirts of the capital. He stressed, however, that since Libya is in a state of war information changes rapidly.
"We think he is in Libya," Ahmed Darrad, who is charged with overseeing the interior ministry until a new government is elected, told AFP late Tuesday.
Earlier, Ali Tarhuni, one of the highest ranking members of the NTC, hinted to reporters that rebels knew where the former leader is hiding but refused to give any details.
"Gaddafi is on the run now. We now have a good idea where is," he said.
Catching Gaddafi is a primary goal for the rebels who claim to have "liberated" most areas of Libya although negotiations are still underway for the surrender of regime loyalists in Sirte, hometown of the strongman.
This elusive task has fuelled a wide range of rumours on his whereabouts including, most recently, that Gaddafi fled like several of his family members to neighbouring Algeria.
Pressed by reporters to disclose details on the whereabouts of Gaddafi, or at least to determine if he was in Libya, Tarhuni joked: "I am only certain of one thing: that I miss my wife very much."
50 000 dead
But Tarhuni's favourite answer to the question of the hour is that "Gaddafi is running from sewer to sewer".
The strongman has a high price - $1.7m - on his head. Rebels want him dead or alive although they have issued several assurances of a "fair trial" for Gaddafi in Libya.
"It is our right to kill him," said Darrad.
"He is killing us. He is a criminal and an outlaw. All over the world if the criminal does not surrender, it is the right of law enforcers to kill him."
The location of several key figures of Gaddafi's regime, including Ibrahim Senussi, the fugitive leader's top security adviser, remains a mystery.
But at least 15 military officers who were part of the regime are now under house arrest in Tripoli, Darrad said, adding that this number could easily rise to 40 in the coming days.
The officers are being held on charges including "collaboration with the regime, corruption and murder".
Libya's conflict has left more than 50 000 dead and perhaps twice as many wounded and missing, he said.
"The information I have is this: it is 80% certain that Gaddafi is still in Libya," Omar Hariri, head of military affairs, told AFP in Tripoli, adding that the former strongman was incapable of doing further harm.
Hariri said rebels suspect Gaddafi is hiding either in Bani Walid, southeast of Tripoli, or in the outskirts of the capital. He stressed, however, that since Libya is in a state of war information changes rapidly.
"We think he is in Libya," Ahmed Darrad, who is charged with overseeing the interior ministry until a new government is elected, told AFP late Tuesday.
Earlier, Ali Tarhuni, one of the highest ranking members of the NTC, hinted to reporters that rebels knew where the former leader is hiding but refused to give any details.
"Gaddafi is on the run now. We now have a good idea where is," he said.
Catching Gaddafi is a primary goal for the rebels who claim to have "liberated" most areas of Libya although negotiations are still underway for the surrender of regime loyalists in Sirte, hometown of the strongman.
This elusive task has fuelled a wide range of rumours on his whereabouts including, most recently, that Gaddafi fled like several of his family members to neighbouring Algeria.
Pressed by reporters to disclose details on the whereabouts of Gaddafi, or at least to determine if he was in Libya, Tarhuni joked: "I am only certain of one thing: that I miss my wife very much."
But Tarhuni's favourite answer to the question of the hour is that "Gaddafi is running from sewer to sewer".
The strongman has a high price - $1.7m - on his head. Rebels want him dead or alive although they have issued several assurances of a "fair trial" for Gaddafi in Libya.
"It is our right to kill him," said Darrad.
"He is killing us. He is a criminal and an outlaw. All over the world if the criminal does not surrender, it is the right of law enforcers to kill him."
The location of several key figures of Gaddafi's regime, including Ibrahim Senussi, the fugitive leader's top security adviser, remains a mystery.
But at least 15 military officers who were part of the regime are now under house arrest in Tripoli, Darrad said, adding that this number could easily rise to 40 in the coming days.
The officers are being held on charges including "collaboration with the regime, corruption and murder".
Libya's conflict has left more than 50 000 dead and perhaps twice as many wounded and missing, he said.
Source - AFP
