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12 Feb 2012 10:45

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World: Libyan rebels-turned-prison-guards exacting revenge on Gaddafi backers

  • They told us that they planned to shift control of a few prisons this week, but it has not happened. … The government has to take over the prisons one by one by negotiating with the people who run it. It is not uniformly or automatically done.
  • A United Nations official, based in Tripoli • Discussing the situation with Libyan prisons, where conditions in the post-Gaddafi era have gotten quite bad, as rebel-sympathizing prison runners are using the prisons to exact revenge on people who supported the former Libyan leader during the revolution. Prison owners have tried to tell a different story, but some humanitarian groups have stopped helping Libyan prisons due to torture allegations. The United Nations has complained about the problem for months, noting that the government should be in control of the prisons to ensure fair treatment, not former rebels. Roughly 8,500 detainees, many sub-Saharan Africans suspected of fighting for Gaddafi, are being held in detention centers nationwide. source

25 Oct 2011 10:46

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World: Why Muammar Gaddafi was buried in an unmarked grave

  • what Muammar Gaddafi was buried  (along with his son as well as a former defense minister) Tuesday, days after his death, in an unmarked grave. The ceremony followed Islamic traditions.
  • why Fear of vandalism, or the possibility that his grave might get turned into a shrine by his hard-line supporters. By keeping Gaddafi’s location hidden, it prevents his grave from being disturbed. source

23 Oct 2011 10:52

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World: Western leaders call for investigation into Muammar Gaddafi’s death

  • It’s certainly not the way we do things. We would have liked to see Col. Gaddafi going on trial to answer for his misdeeds.
  • British Defense Secretary Philip Hammond • Calling for an investigation into Muammar Gaddafi’s violent, bloody death on Thursday. The Libyan leader’s method of death — Human Rights Watch suggests it’s an execution that took place after the leader was detained — could cast a violent pall on the new government. Gaddafi’s wife Safiya, as you might guess, also wants an investigation. “I am proud of the bravery of my husband, Moammar Gadhafi, the holy warrior, and my sons who confronted the aggression of 40 countries over the past six months,” she told Syria-based Al-Rai TV. source

18 Oct 2011 16:02

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World: Sec. of State Clinton visits post-Gaddafi Libya for first time

  • We want to do everything we can to prevent him from causing trouble for the new Libya. We don’t know where he is, but we hope he can be captured or killed soon so you don’t have to fear him any longer.
  • Secretary of State Hillary Clinton • Speaking in Libya, to the interim National Transitional Council. Clinton is the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Libya since the toppling of Muammar Gaddafi’s government during August, though the former dictator is still in hiding and his loyalists have continued to clash with NTC forces in places such as Brega. In light of the NTC’s somewhat daunting task in rebuilding Libya, especially with Gaddafi still at large and presumably eager to derail that process, Clinton and the U.S. wanted to lend some support that would also be beneficial from an optics standpoint — it should be noted, though, that the U.S. has said Clinton’s “captured or killed” phrase isn’t meant to represent any change in policy.  source

29 Sep 2011 15:51

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World: Fighting rages in Sirte, Libyan NTC reclaims airport

  • Dangerous times for civilians in Sirte: The Libyan National Transitional Council (NTC) has regained control of the Sirte airport, amidst fighting throughout the city. The airport had been under NTC control previously, but two weeks ago loyalists of deposed dictator Muammar Gaddafi (who was born in Sirte) recaptured it. Gaddafi loyalists have reportedly used rockets and sniper fire to fend off the NTC’s assaults on the city. Some of Sirte’s 100,000 residents have chosen to flee, as attacks by both sides pose fatal risks to the civilian population. source

25 Sep 2011 11:23

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World: Libya: Mass grave from 1996 massacre discovered

  • 1,270 bodies from 15-year-old massacre found source
  • » Memories still linger: The 1996 massacre at Abu Salim prison in Tripoli was one of the many catalysts to the civil war that effectively toppled Muammar Gaddafi. And this will be a difficult one to decipher. “We are dealing with more than 1,270 martyrs and must distinguish each one from the other for identification by comparing their DNA with family members,” said Libyan medical official Dr. Osman Abdul Jalil. “It may take years to reach the truth.”

20 Sep 2011 00:33

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U.S.: Good news: Gas prices are down, but not from a year ago

  • $3.60 the average price of gasoline in the U.S.
  • -35¢ the decrease in price from May’s peak
  • +87¢ the increase in price from a year ago source
  • » What caused the increase? To put it simply, many analysts point to the civil war in Libya for inflating the price of gas, as it took 1 million barrels of oil out of the supply chain each day, raising the price of oil by $20 per gallon at its high point. The recent successes the rebels have had since NATO started its air strikes exactly six months ago tonight have helped to bring the prices down to more manageable levels. Seasonal factors are also at play, and with Labor Day behind us, gas prices should continue to decline through Christmas.
 

19 Sep 2011 10:44

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World: Six months in, and with Gaddafi rendered powerless, Libya turns a corner

  • The delay in the new government isn’t important. It’s like a sick man. He has to move slowly before he can walk at a normal speed. We need time to recover. … Look, we finally got rid of that bloody monkey. We are better than before.
  • Libyan engineer Mustafa Shaab bin Ragheb  • Discussing the current situation with the Libyan government, six months into the war. Yes, friends, today is the six-month anniversary of NATO getting involved in Libya’s civil war, which remains controversial for some but has led to the crumbling of Gaddafi’s regime. There are many issues to deal with from here — including a splintering rebel movement — but “we finally got rid of that bloody monkey” certainly seems like a good result of a lengthy civil war. source

06 Sep 2011 17:47

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World: Documents show CIA, MI6 supported Gaddafi with renditions

  • MI6 and the CIA knew absolutely how much torture was taking place. They knew that these people would be abused in custody when they were sent back to Libya. Why else would you hand them over to the Libyans? You captured him, you have all of your black sites anyway, but you offered him to the Libyans. Of course the [CIA] letters say, ‘Please commit to us that you will respect their human rights.’ But that’s just talk.
  • Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director for Human Rights Watch • Speaking on the trove of documents he himself copied in Tripoli and released to various media. They show that following Gaddafi’s 2003 vow to give up his weapons of mass destruction, the CIA and MI6 both engaged in renditions to send political opponents of Gaddafi’s regime into Libya, presumably knowing the sort of inhumane treatment and torture would await them. One example: A current commander of rebel forces in Tripoli, Abdulhakim Belhadj, was rendered into Libya by the CIA, where he claims he was isolated and tortured.  (h/t ZeitVox) source

06 Sep 2011 17:04

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World: Failing negotiations spark fear of more bloodshed in Libya

  • Bad times in Bani Walid: Above is a video showing the very delicate process the Libyan rebellion has been engaged in, seeking to peacefully end the standoff between Gaddafi loyalists and their forces in Bani Walid. Sad to say this video highlights a process that has reportedly fallen apart, bringing very real concerns of a violent military resolution. The rebel leadership has insisted about 90% of Bani Walid’s residents want a peaceful surrender, and they accuse the remaining group of Gaddafi loyalists of holding the town hostage. source