Video Allegedly Shows Anti-Gov’t Protesters Being Shot in Libya
- Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:40am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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CAIRO (The Blaze/AP) — Hundreds of Libyans calling for the government‘s ouster clashed with security forces early Wednesday in the country’s second-largest city as Egypt-inspired unrest spread to the country long ruled by Moammar Gadhafi.
Ashur Shamis, a Libyan opposition activist in London, and witnesses said the protest began Tuesday and lasted until the early hours Wednesday in the port city of Benghazi.
Demonstrators chanted “no God but Allah, Moammar is the enemy of Allah“ and ”Down, down to corruption and to the corrupt.” Police and armed government backers quickly clamped down on the protesters, firing rubber bullets, Shami said.
The outbreak of protests in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain and Iran has roiled the Middle East and brought unprecedented pressure on leaders like Gadhafi who have held virtually unchecked power for decades.
It also posed new challenges for the United States, which has strategic interests in each of the countries. President Barack Obama conceded Tuesday he is concerned about the region’s stability and prodded governments to get out ahead of the change.
As in the uprisings that toppled longtime autocratic rulers in two countries flanking Libya – Egypt and Tunisia – Libyan activists are used social networking websites like Facebook and Twitter to rally people in their homeland. They called for a major protest on Thursday.
Libya’s official news agency did not carry any word of the anti-government protests. It reported only that supporters of Gadhafi were demonstrating Wednesday in the capital, Tripoli, as well as Benghazi and other cities.
JANA , the official news agency, quoted a statement from the pro-Gadhafi demonstrators as pledging to “defend the leader and the revolution.” The statement described the anti-government protesters as “cowards and traitors.”
Gadhafi, long reviled in the West, has been trying to bring his country out of isolation, announcing in 2003 that he was abandoning his program for weapons of mass destruction, renouncing terrorism and compensating victims of the 1986 La Belle disco bombing in Berlin and the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland.
Those decisions opened the door for warmer relations with the West and the lifting of U.N. and U.S. sanctions, but Gadhafi continues to face allegations of human rights violations in the North African nation.
The protesters Tuesday and early Wednesday apparently were provoked by the failure of talks between the government and a committee representing families of hundreds of inmates killed when security forces opened fire during 1996 riots at Abu Salim, Libya’s most notorious prison. The government has begun to pay families compensation, but the committee is demanding prosecution of those responsible.
But the protesters – buoyed by uprisings that toppled Tunisian President Zine Al Abidine Ben Ali and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak – didn’t limit themselves to the singular issue and instead called for more far-reaching political and economic reforms.
Protesters chanted slogans against Gadhafi as well as Prime Minister Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi, according to witnesses and videos posted on the Internet.
The government also planned to free Wednesday 110 Islamic militants who were members of a group plotting to overthrow Gadhafi, although it was not clear if the release would occur as scheduled in the wake of the protests.
A Libyan security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to release the information, said 14 people, including 10 policemen, had been injured in clashes Tuesday. He said protesters were armed with knives and stones and police tried to disperse the crowd using water cannons.
The protests occurred after several opposition groups in exile called on Monday for Gadhafi’s overthrow and for a peaceful transition of power. “Col. Gadhafi and all his family members should relinquish powers,” the groups said in a statement.
Independent confirmation was not possible as the government keeps tight control over the media, but one video clip dated Feb. 15 and posted on a website called “Libya Uprising Today” website showed protesters carrying signs and chanting: “No God but Allah, Moammar is the enemy of Allah.”
Another video with the same date showed a gathering running away from gunfire while shots being heard in the video. A young man in a white, bloodstained robe was then shown being carried by protesters:
The protests scheduled for Thursday were to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the day in which nine people were killed while holding a demonstration in front of the Italian Consulate against cartoon depicting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.
A third video showed a call for uprising against the repression and humiliation on Feb. 17, 2006. It was subtitled “freedom to the Libyan people” and showed footage from Egypt’s protests along with lists of Libyans who had been killed in previous protests.
“The people want the execution of the leader,” it said.
Gadhafi came to power 1969 through a military coup and since then he has been ruling the country with no parliament or constitution. Although Gadhafi claims he is only a revolutionary leader with no official status, he holds absolute power.
The opposition groups say that in practice he has direct control of the country’s politics and its military and security forces.
There have been reports that Gadhafi’s security forces have arrested several of these Internet activists.
“What happened in Egypt and Tunisia, inspired the youth,” Shamis said.
Those expected to be released Wednesday were members of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, which is suspected of having links to al-Qaida, claimed responsibility for a failed assassination attempt against Gadhafi in 1995. The detainees to be freed reportedly included the brother of Abu Yahia al-Libi, an al-Qaida commander who escaped from Afghanistan’s Bagram prison in 2005.
Seif al-Islam Gadhafi, the leader’s son, has orchestrated the release of members of the group in the past as part of a reconciliation plan.
—
Associated Press writer Salah Nasrawi contributed to this report.
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welovetheUSA
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 2:59pmI am sorry but this “Allah!” apperars to be the enemy who controls millions of idoits who cannot know the difference between good and bad………you donot kill someone because they do not agree with you, period.
Report Post »millefiore
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 2:18pmJust a matter of time til they take em all out and usher in an Islamic state through out the region.
Report Post »Alan Colmes, ” says we need to close bases and decrease our military.” What a joke he is.
If anything we had better increase our military size. Like Israel all men and women fit should serve their country.
jdog777
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 2:07pmInteresting…. Didn’t Moammar just call for the Palestinians to demonstrate on the borders of Israel in the light of the Egyptian protests??? Protests are a double edge sword for a dictator Muslimland… you never know what you are going to get. I suspect we will soon be dealing with a Caliphate and Moammar’s body will be drug through the streets.
Report Post »Rightsofman
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 1:32pmOOPS changed my mind .I don’t think its a person on 2nd look. My mistake – go back to whatever you were doing. Sorry.
Report Post »Rightsofman
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 1:27pmIt looks like there’s a guy sitting on the wall in the upper left with his back to the chaos below. Guns firing,people running but the guy just says there!!? I guess its true that there‘s alwys ten percent that don’t get the word. DUCK DUMMY!
Report Post »Lily1943
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 12:40pmYour mistaken Dr Who if you think I.m living in fear 2nd Timothy 1-7 but at the same time i’m not closing my mind as to what the Bible says will happen in the end times.
Report Post »Lily1943
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 12:11pmTell me Dr Who were you always this nasty or does the truth just bring out the worst in you. John the Apostle wrote the book of Revelation in answer to your question and Jesus threw the moneychangers out of the temple. If you think Nero was the antichrist then you have a rude awakening coming to you.And i highly doubt you read the bible at all.
Report Post »Doctor Who
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 12:18pmI’ve studied the Bible and its sources in far more depth than you obviously have over many many years, I believe you have every right to your belief and in the fullness of time I won’t even ask for an apology when you are proven wrong. Your God is obviously not the God of Peace that I worship but the USA was based on the right to worship whosoever you want. I hope He brings you peace of mind and lifts the fear from your heart.
Report Post »EWRoss
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 11:57amThe unrest in Egypt and across the region is far from settled. Will these countries end up as part of the Grand Caliphate, with more coups, or with democratic constitutions?
http://www.ewross.com/caliphate_coups_or_constitutions.htm
Report Post »dantom
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 11:52amPlease code pink go to Libya
Report Post »Lily1943
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 11:06amAnd again I say the book of Revelation is about to be opened they are already talking about one world currency which means the Antichrist and the mark of the beast aren‘t far behind if you want to do your homework read Revelation chapter 13 and decide where your allegiance lies hopefully it’s with Jesus.
Report Post »Doctor Who
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 11:16amDo YOUR homework, the antichrist was Nero the mark of the beast 666 (or actually 669 due to a mistranslation) is Nero’s name in the Jewish numeric alphabet, the destruction of the temple took place 2,000 years ago and if you want to spread this sort of C**p do it with a sandwich board on. Do you even know who WROTE the Book of Revelations? One world currency = the antichrist? Who threw the moneychangers out of the temple!!
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 10:39amLike pigs from a gun see how they run!
The more their Government shoots at them the more resilent and entrenched they will become in their fight against those incharge….silly rabbits, don’t they know this already? Its how they took power themselves decades ago.
Report Post »HOCKEYHAWK216
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:59amYou all say Caliphate, but maybe — just maybe — we are really seeing “freedom-loving” people trying to make a stand for actual freedoms. Wasn’t this concept one of the driving reasons for what we did in Iraq? People everywhere just want to be free . . . .
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 10:27amWhat this guy said, but unironically.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 11:14am@HOCKEYHAWK216
Maybe, but you haven’t seen the end-result, yet. History is not on your side in terms of the most likely outcome.
A new, and probably more brutal dictatorship is what’s down the road for these people. Most likely, a Muslim dictatorship under Sharia Law. Who do you think is the most organized, most powerful influence in the region? Where’s the liberal “Democractic Brotherhood”? Where’s the “Constitutional Brotherhood”?
Oh yeah….there isn’t one.
Report Post »moonpeace
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:34amWhat do they say? Rubber bullets today, lead bullets tomorrow. It appears these people just do not know how to talk these things out. Yelling and screaming begets even louder yelling and screaming and so on and so on until somebody has finally had enough and unloads the first clip. Every war begins with a single act.
Report Post »Zeadman
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:30amThis whole thing has disrupted mail going to New Zeland from Utah. i know becuse i keep sending Mail to a friend on a mormon mission there and i dont get anything back…. he is vigalent about writing and this is starting to scare me….
Report Post »Doctor Who
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 10:23amGlenn, stop messing about and answer this guy’s letters
Report Post »sjohn70037
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:26amOh Boy!!!! More muslims killing muslims. Show me more, show me more!
Report Post »oldnanny
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:25amKeep up the good work Glenn. Our prayers are with you!
Report Post »jakartaman
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:54amCaliphate what Caliphate?
Report Post »Non-sequitur
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 10:26amExactly, because people would never rise up to throw of the shackles of dictatorship now that they’ve seen it work in Egypt. It must be to form a Caliphate!
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 11:10am@Sequiter
You haven’t seen the result yet, but you know how Egypt is going to turn out? Awesome! You’re psychic!
Let’s plan a trip to Vegas together.
Report Post »HillBillySam1
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:51amI think that the Kevin Bacon character in the movie “Animal House” would best describe the White House’s and the Progressive media response to this growing phenomenom: REMAIN CALM!!!!!……ALL IS WELL!!!!!!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:56amThank you sir, may I have another?
Report Post »Lucky Strikes
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:48amYou know, some days you should just stay in the house.
Report Post »matt708
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:47amhey daffy duck told you you were next
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:46amLove to see old Moammar hung upside down from a light post like Mussolini! Unfortunatley, they will get little support from Obama. He only wants U.S. friendly dictators overthrown.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:45am.
Hey! WTF Ya’ll are supposed to throw rocks.
Or have a Camel Charge and some Head Whooooooping!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »9thCommandment
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:45amChange one dictator for another…. Allah, & those who control the word.
Report Post »cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:49amRight on 9th. It was a real eye opener hearing Donald Rumsfeld talking about the Caliphate last week. Ever since Glenn Talked about this, the media has been trashing him. Now the former Secretary of Defense says the same thing. Now we have civil unrest throughout the entire region. I don’t see how this ends well for anyone.
http://www.donsmithshow.com – see the Muslim Brotherhood video
Report Post »Cape_Lookout_RW_Extremist
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:51amNothing going on in the Arab world that a little mega tonnage won’t cure.
Report Post »QuantumVerp
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 8:57amEverything rots. Even our Republic has rotted. That these fools will start with a rotten government is just their bad decision and shouldn’t effect us, unless we continue having illicit ‘foreign relations’… AKA taking the world up our ass!
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:10am@9th and ConsrvtvJ
Agree with both of you, the foundation for changes of the rulership of many countries is now in tthe fulfillment; and what matters now is who will occupy the seats of power in the aftermath, and for how long they can maintain any kind of order and stability within each nation they now rule or control.
It is possible that stability will return to some sense in the area, along with relative sanity; yet there is still the caliphate that may occur. What is also possible, many of the individual nations may join or be forced by military usage, to create many smaller caliphates that work as a coalition against the enemies or opposition of Islam and their political ideals.
Report Post »TexasCommonSense
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:11amA tyrannical governments using firearms against unarmed citizens; this is exactly the reason we have the second amendment. It’s certainly not about hunting. Now if we can only keep our second amendment rights.
Report Post »cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:12amLets hope it all ends well Snow.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:25am@CnsrvtvJ
I pray it ends well too, understand the scenario I outlined for a possible smaller set of caliphates to arise is just that, a ‘possible’ scenario. Yet it is one to consider as a distinct happening too.
Personally in the case of Quaddafi, he should be retired to live the life of a camel driver in the middle of the devils courts.
Report Post »QuantumVerp
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 9:27amYou don’t really agree with RW_Extremist do you? Use nuclear weapons? LOL… well… they are the ultimate weapon inasmuch as they will get everybody no matter where you drop them! BTW for those of you who think you are lucky to have a ticket to the 140 government fallout shelters, you will die a slow death in your holes! I have met with the ‘contractors’… you shouldn’t have just kept paying and paying and paying for more features… they’re gonna screw up… besides… the tectonic plates will be moving so being above ground is better.
For the people who live in the dirty bathrooms of earth, the middle east, I prefer the slower death they may choose for themselves, death by believing in powers higher than one‘s self as presented to them by ’men in robes with bling’
Report Post »getalong
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 10:08amAttention Code Pink….You are needed in Libya.
Report Post »taskmaster78
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 10:21amIf you asked my who I’d support on this on: either Moammar Gadhafi or the Islamist well it the old MO man on this one. These religious freaks need to chill out.
Report Post »missionarydad
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 12:26pmGlenn Beck is so far ahead of the curve and his predictions are happening big time over there in the middle east. I sure hope all of this settles down and ends the way we would want it to with countries establishing democratic republics but when populations overwhelming want Sharia Law anyone should be able to see that this is not going to end peacefully and it looks like the building of a Muslim caliphate is happening at remarkable speed.
Report Post »nosycophant
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 12:43pmI think I seen the white horseman again.
Report Post »DirectlyUnPCman
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 4:24pmWhen you become an unrulely mob, there isnt anything else those who stand against you can do but shoot your stupid but.
Report Post »GEETAR
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 6:06pmKinda funny how these peace and love islam countries all mostly seem to have dictators or corrupt people for leaders. And god forbid any protest. We should pray for the People of Egypt that they dont end up a Islamic state
Report Post »encinom
Posted on February 16, 2011 at 6:15pmSo is Beck now supporting the leadership in Iran and Gadhafi, and he calls the left traitors?
Report Post »AZpatriotmama
Posted on February 17, 2011 at 1:55am“It also posed new challenges for the United States, which has strategic interests in each of the countries. President Barack Obama conceded Tuesday he is concerned about the region’s stability and prodded governments to get out ahead of the change.”
The President prodded governments to “get out ahead of the CHANGE”? Hmmm…what does that tell ya folks? Spontaneous protests by average citizens just wanting freedom? Or perhaps planned coups by our oh-so-innocent government?
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