DUSHANBE, July 2, 2011, Asia-Plus – Muammar Gaddafi has threatened to attack the West in revenge for NATO’s bombings. Meanwhile, the African Union has refused to recognize the arrest warrant issued for the Colonel by the International Criminal Court.
Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency reports Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has warned of attacks in Europe unless NATO stops its air strikes against his army and key facilities.
The threats were announced on Friday, July 1 through loudspeakers at one of Tripoli’s squares, where supporters of Colonel Gaddafi gathered. The demonstration was one of the biggest yet in support of Gaddafi.
He also advised his political enemies to “apologize to the Libyan people and leave the country,” stating that “NATO air strikes have failed and the game is over.”
Only two hours after the demonstration, NATO reportedly carried out another air strike, dropping several bombs near Gaddafi’s compound.
Also on Friday, the member countries of the African Union decided not to execute the Gaddafi’s arrest warrant, as they believe it will “seriously impede” all efforts aimed at a peace settlement to the Libyan conflict. The statement was made at the African Union summit.
“The African Union acknowledges the arrest warrant will seriously hamper the efforts to find a political and diplomatic solution of the Libyan crises and to bring to peace all the sides involved taking into consideration all the mutual interests. The whole world admits ICC [the International Criminal Court] always intervenes at a moment that is not convenient, to put oil on the fire,” RIA Novosti quotes African Union Commission chairman Jean Ping as saying.
Earlier this week, on June 27, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an arrest warrant for Muammar Gaddafi, charging the Libyan leader with committing crimes against humanity and using arms against participants of anti-government rallies.
We will recall that on March 17, 2011, the United Nations Security Council adopted the Resolution 1973 imposing a no-fly zone over Libya, authorizing all necessary means to protect civilians and civilian-populated areas, except for a “foreign occupation force.”
On March 19, 2011, a multi-state coalition started an air campaign on Libya with the US, UK, France, Canada, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Qatar and Spain as major participants. The effort was initially largely led by France and the UK, with command shared with the US.
On March 31, NATO took full control over the operation, set to be completed by June 27, but on June 1, NATO extended it for 90 more days – until the end of September.
