Gaddafi appears on state TV, calls foreign channels 'dogs'

LIBYA

Rania
Cairo, Feb 22 (PTI) Facing an unprecedented revolt
against his 41-year rule, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on
Tuesday appeared on state television dismissing reports that
he had fled the country, calling foreign news channels "dogs".
"I am in Tripoli and not in Venezuela. Do not believe
these channels - they are dogs," he told Libyan TV, which said
he was speaking outside his house.
68-year-old Gaddafi, who was sitting on the passenger
seat of an old white van and holding an umbrella to shield
himself from rain, appeared for less than a minute on the
state television shortly after 0200 am local time (0530 HRS
IST).
The statement of Gaddafi, who is battling an Egypt-like
crisis, came amid fresh clashes between security forces and
protesters. According to human rights groups, over 300 people
have been killed in the revolt which entered the eighth day
today.
Al-Jazeera said Libyan Justice Minister Mustapha Abdul
Jalil had resigned in protest against the "excessive use of
violence" against demonstrators and joined the agitation.
In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent
out a tough message to the Libyan leader, warning against the
use of lethal force on peaceful demonstrators.
"The government of Libya has a responsibility to respect
the universal rights of the people, including the right to
free expression and assembly. Now is the time to stop this
unacceptable bloodshed," Clinton said in a statement.
The anti-government protests reached the capital Tripoli
on Monday for the first time after days of violent unrest in
the eastern city of Benghazi, but Gaddafi's son pledged to
fight the revolt to the "last man standing", warning
protesters that Libya was neither Tunisia nor Egypt.
A wave of anti-regime protests has gripped the Arab
world, but the suppression is turning out to be the most
brutal in Libya.
As people in the capital joined the protests, the Libyan
leader's son Saif al-Islam Gaddafi appeared on television and
said the regime will not back out even to the last bullet.
"We will keep fighting until the last man standing,
even to the last woman standing ... we will not leave Libya to
the Italians or the Turks," he said. (More) PTI KIM
SHS


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