Clinton dismisses Gaddafi threats

2 July 2011 Last updated at 12:42 GMT Hillary Clinton has often urged Col Gaddafi to quit Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi should stop issuing threats against Europeans and resign instead, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says.

"Gaddafi should put the well-being and the interests of his own people first and he should step down from power," Mrs Clinton said in Spain.

Col Gaddafi threatened on Friday to attack European "homes, offices, families" unless Nato stopped bombing.

Nato is enforcing a UN resolution to protect civilians from Gaddafi forces.

"The Nato-led mission is on track. The pressure on Gaddafi is mounting and the rebels have been gaining strength and momentum. We need to see this through and we are in complete agreement that we will," Mrs Clinton said in Madrid.

'Retreat'

Speaking alongside Mrs Clinton, Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez said "Spain's and the international coalition's response is to maintain the unity and determination with which we have been working these past months".

Col Gaddafi made the threat in an audio message broadcast to tens of thousands of supporters gathered in a central Tripoli square on Friday.

His message comes after France confirmed it had supplied weapons to anti-government rebels, delivering arms to Berber tribal fighters near Tripoli.

In the broadcast, played via loudspeakers to gathered crowds in the capital's Green Square, he called on supporters to "march on the western mountains", the area where the weapons had been delivered.

Then he warned Europe that Libyans would seek revenge.

"These people [the Libyans] are able to one day take this battle [...] to Europe, to target your homes, offices, families, which would become legitimate military targets, like you have targeted our homes," he said.

"If we decide to, we are able to move to Europe like locusts, like bees. We advise you to retreat before you are dealt a disaster," he added.

His message come just days after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Col Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and Libyan intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanoussi for crimes against humanity.

International prosecutors allege government troops fired on civilian protesters during anti-Gaddafi street demonstrations earlier this year.

Friday's rally was one of the largest in recent times, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, in Tripoli, and the message was the first time that Col Gaddafi had been heard of in days.

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Defiant Gaddafi threatens Europe

1 July 2011 Last updated at 19:02 GMT Nato strikes have continued in some areas of the capital, Tripoli Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has threatened to attack Europe in revenge for Nato's operations in Libya.

Col Gaddafi said Libya would target European "homes, offices, families" unless Nato stopped its campaign.

He spoke via an audio message broadcast to tens of thousands of supporters gathered in a central Tripoli square.

His message comes after France confirmed it had supplied weapons to anti-government rebels, delivering arms to Berber tribal fighters near Tripoli.

In the broadcast, played via loudspeakers to gathered crowds in the capital's Green Square, he called on supporters to "march on the western mountains", the area where the weapons had been delivered.

'Like locusts'

Then he warned Europe that Libyans would seek revenge.

"These people [the Libyans] are able to one day take this battle [...] to Europe, to target your homes, offices, families, which would become legitimate military targets, like you have targeted our homes," he said.

"If we decide to, we are able to move to Europe like locusts, like bees. We advise you to retreat before you are dealt a disaster," he added.

His message come just days after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Col Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam and Libyan intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanoussi for crimes against humanity.

International prosecutors allege government troops fired on civilian protesters during anti-Gaddafi street demonstrations earlier this year.

Friday's rally was one of the largest in recent times, says the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes, in Tripoli, and the message was the first time that Col Gaddafi had been heard of in weeks.

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Nato accused of murder by Gaddafi

23 June 2011 Last updated at 02:29 GMT Nato said that close monitoring showed this bombed residence was a command centre, but the family who lived there said it was their home

Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has accused Nato states of murder, two days after members of the family of a close aide were killed in an air strike.

In an audio message broadcast on state TV late on Wednesday, he described those who carried out the bombardment as "criminals" and "barbarians".

Nato has said it regrets any civilian deaths, but that the targeted residence was a "command and control centre".

Italy's foreign minister earlier called for an immediate halt to hostilities.

Francisco Frattini said a ceasefire was necessary to allow humanitarian aid to be delivered to the war-torn country.

He also urged Nato to provide more details of its aerial campaign and precise guidelines on "dramatic errors involving civilians".

But Nato's Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, said the alliance's air campaign was protecting civilians and would continue.

He repeated that Nato was investigating Libyan reports that seven people had been killed in an air strike last week, but stressed that it was Col Gaddafi's forces, not Nato, who were targeting civilians.

'Back to the wall'

BBC Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen, who is in Tripoli, says Col Gaddafi was as defiant as ever in his latest audio message.

He said Libyans would fight "foreign barbarians" and "crusaders" to the death.

Nato's secretary general said its air campaign was protecting civilians and would continue

The devil, he added, would be ashamed of the lies and allegations being made by Libya's enemies.

Col Gaddafi said he had his "back to the wall", but that the battle would "continue to the beyond, until you are wiped out".

Our correspondent says Col Gaddafi dwelt on the Nato air strike that destroyed the house of his close ally and adviser, al-Khuwailidi al-Humaidi, in Sorman on Monday.

Among the dead, who were buried a few hours before the speech, were three of Mr Humaidi's grandchildren and his daughter-in-law.

Nato said the attack was on a legitimate military target, as the house was a command centre. The Libyan government rejected the allegation.

Col Gaddafi referred to Nato's statement that its surveillance had provided conclusive proof. If the intelligence had been so good, he said, surely Nato would have known that children were living there.

"You said: 'We hit our targets with precision.' You murderers!" he said. "One day we will respond to you likewise and your homes, sons and children may become one day legitimate targets."

He called on the UN Security Council other than "the three criminals" - the US, UK and France - to send a mission to investigate the deaths of civilians in air strikes.

Nato's mission - to enforce a no-fly zone over Libya to protect civilians using "all necessary measures" short of a ground invasion - began in March in response to Col Gaddafi's violent response to an uprising.

The intervention was mandated by the UN Security Council, and led by France, Britain and the US until the end of March, when Nato took over.

Having initially been given 90 days - which would have run out on 27 June - the mission has been extended for a further 90 days.

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G8 leaders call on Gaddafi to go

27 May 2011 Last updated at 15:23 GMT US President Obama says the US and France are united

World leaders at the G8 summit in France have issued a joint call for the embattled Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi to step down.

Russia, which has criticised Nato's campaign in Libya, said it agreed Col Gaddafi had lost all legitimacy.

In a communique issued at the end of a two-day summit, the G8 also criticised Syria's deadly crackdown on protesters.

The bloc's statement included plans for a $20bn (?12bn) package for Tunisia and Egypt over the next two years.

BBC world affairs correspondent Christian Fraser, at the summit in Deauville, says the communique by the leaders of the US, Russia, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and the UK has 25 pages and 93 sub-sections.

'Finish the job'

But the part that has attracted the greatest attention, he adds, is an agreement on all sides - including the Russians - that Col Gaddafi should step down.

In his comments at the end of the summit, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the wording of the communique had been toughened overnight and fully endorsed by the Russians.

It says: "Gaddafi and the Libyan government have failed to fulfil their responsibility to protect the Libyan population and have lost all legitimacy. He has no future in a free, democratic Libya. He must go."

US President Barack Obama - after talks about Libya with the French president - said: "We are joined in resolve to finish the job."

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev told a news conference at the end of the gathering in Normandy that he was prepared to mediate Col Gaddafi's departure, but he said Libya should be preserved as a single state.

The communique was issued as Nato reported that government forces had laid landmines in the rebel-held western Libyan city of Misrata.

Nato intervened in Libya after the UN passed a resolution in March mandating the protection of civilians in the country, following the uprising against Col Gaddafi.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said the time was right to "ratchet up" pressure on the Libyan regime, as he confirmed that the UK would deploy Apache attack helicopters for the campaign.

But a statement issued by a group of former African presidents - including South Africa's Thabo Mbeki and Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo - expressed "grave concern" that there was still no sign of an end to Nato's campaign in Libya.

As Syrian government troops dispersed a new round of protests in Damascus, the G8 communique called on the regime to "stop using force and intimidation" against its people.

But while Russia was seen as having toughened its stance on Libya, Moscow insisted on softening the G8's wording on Syria.

It obliged its partners to drop a threat of UN Security Council sanctions in favour of more general warning of "further measures".

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ICC seeks Gaddafi arrest warrant

16 May 2011 Last updated at 19:16 GMT Luis Moreno-Ocampo: "Gaddafi committed the crimes with the goal of preserving his authority"

The International Criminal Court chief prosecutor is seeking the arrest of Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi and two others for crimes against humanity.

Luis Moreno-Ocampo said Col Gaddafi, his son Saif al-Islam, and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi bore the greatest responsibility for "widespread and systematic attacks" on civilians.

ICC judges must still decide whether or not to issue warrants for their arrest.

The Libyan government has already said it will ignore the announcement.

Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid Kaim said the court was a "baby of the European Union designed for African politicians and leaders" and its practices were "questionable".

Libya did not recognise its jurisdiction, like a few other African countries and the United States, he added.

'Inner circle' Continue reading the main story Andrew North BBC News, Tripoli

Luis Moreno-Ocampo's call for the arrest of Col Gaddafi on war crimes charges is his second for a sitting head of state. But as with his indictment of Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, this could be just as hard to enforce.

Some fear this will only complicate efforts to bring the violence to an end, making it harder to negotiate a settlement - if potential interlocutors fear they will face future prosecution.

The Libyan authorities have already dismissed the International Criminal court as irrelevant. But the prosecutor's office says it has been getting calls from some unnamed Libyan officials offering evidence, which if true suggests some at least take the prosecutor's investigations very seriously.

And the Libyan leader, his son and his intelligence chief are now looking even more isolated.

Mr Moreno-Ocampo said that after reviewing more than 1,200 documents and 50 interviews with key insiders and witnesses, his office had evidence showing that Col Gaddafi had "personally ordered attacks on unarmed Libyan civilians".

"His forces attacked Libyan civilians in their homes and in public spaces, shot demonstrators with live ammunition, used heavy weaponry against participants in funeral processions, and placed snipers to kill those leaving mosques after prayers," he told a news conference in The Hague.

"The evidence shows that such persecution is still ongoing as I speak today in the areas under Gaddafi control. Gaddafi forces have prepared a list with names of alleged dissidents, and they are being arrested, put into prisons in Tripoli, tortured and made to disappear," he added.

Mr Moreno-Ocampo continued: "His [Col Gaddafi's] second-oldest son, Saif al-Islam, is the de facto prime minister and Sanussi, Gaddafi's brother-in-law, is his right-hand man - the executioner, the head of military intelligence. He commanded personally some of the attacks."

Continue reading the main story

The office documented how the three held meetings to plan and direct the operations”

End Quote Luis Moreno-Ocampo Prosecutor, International Criminal Court The prosecutor insisted he was "almost ready" for a trial, based on the testimony, particularly of those who had escaped from Libya.

Libya's opposition National Transitional Council praised the ICC move.

But its vice-president, Abdel Hafez Ghoga, said: "We would like him [Col Gaddafi] to be tried in Libya first before being put on trial in an international court."

Selective justice?

Earlier, Mr Moreno-Ocampo said the three men were suspected of committing crimes against humanity in two categories - murder and persecution - under the Rome Statute, which established the court.

The charges cover the days following the start of anti-government protests on 15 February. Between 500 and 700 people are believed to have been killed in that month alone.

ICC prosecutors are also studying evidence about the alleged commission of war crimes once the situation developed into an armed conflict.

This includes allegations of rape and attacks against sub-Saharan Africans wrongly perceived to be mercenaries.

An inquiry set up by the UN Human Rights Council is expected to submit its report on the alleged war crimes to the UN Security Council on 7 June.

The charges cover the days following the start of anti-government protests on 15 February

Mr Moreno-Ocampo said he was acting in accordance with UN Security Council resolution 1970, which referred the situation in Libya to the ICC.

The Pre-Trial Chamber's judges may decide to accept the prosecutor's application, reject it, or ask him for more information.

If a warrant for Col Gaddafi is issued, it would only be the second time the ICC has sought a warrant for a sitting head of state.

Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir has been indicted for genocide in Darfur.

Amnesty International said the international community must not allow justice to appear selective, because what was happening in Syria was "equal to if not worse than the situation in Libya".

Overnight, Libyan state television reported Nato aircraft had bombed an oil terminal in the eastern port of Ras Lanuf.

The alleged raid came after insurgents said they had taken full control of the western city of Misrata.

The rebels also said they had defeated two brigades of troops loyal to Col Gaddafi in the city of Zintan, south-east of Tripoli, over the weekend.

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