Libya on Sunday launched the first trial of loyalists of slain dictator Muammar Qaddafi, putting 41 of his diehards in the dock of a military court in the eastern city of Benghazi.
“It is the first trial concerning the February 17 revolution,” judge Colonel Ali al-Hamida said at the start of the court proceedings which were open to public.
The men are accused of supporting Qaddafi’s former regime in its attempts to crush a popular revolt launched on February 17 last year, as well as helping prisoners to escape.
Since the overthrow of Qaddafi regime last year, Libya’s new leaders have struggled to impose their authority on the vast country of 6 million people. One of the greatest challenges still facing the leadership is how to rein in the dozens of revolutionary militias that arose during the war and now are reluctant to disband or give up their weapons.
“It is the first trial concerning the February 17 revolution,” judge Colonel Ali al-Hamida said at the start of the court proceedings which were open to public.
The men are accused of supporting Qaddafi’s former regime in its attempts to crush a popular revolt launched on February 17 last year, as well as helping prisoners to escape.
Since the overthrow of Qaddafi regime last year, Libya’s new leaders have struggled to impose their authority on the vast country of 6 million people. One of the greatest challenges still facing the leadership is how to rein in the dozens of revolutionary militias that arose during the war and now are reluctant to disband or give up their weapons.
The government has started a program to encourage the militiamen to turn in their arms in exchange for benefits like education and jobs, but it has not put an end to the almost constant clashes involving rival groups.
Also, forces loyal to the deposed regime have been attacking troops from the new regime, adding another layer of chaos.
On Wednesday, a gunbattle between rival militias erupted in Tripoli, illustrating how Libya’s new rulers have so far failed to put their stamp on their country and bring it under control.
No one was hurt in the bizarre standoff. Witnesses say remnants of fighting groups from the towns of Misrata and Zintan faced off in downtown Tripoli over control of a sports complex on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
The two sides fired rifles and heavy machine guns, witnesses said, but mostly in the air, shattering the complex’s windows and damaging a number of nearby cars. After about an hour, Tripoli’s high security council, which is under the Interior Ministry, blocked off the area and took control of the building.
The skirmish was part of a larger battle between the two groups over control of sensitive spots like the airport. The Misrata brigade had been camped out in the sports complex and the Zintan brigade tried to take it from them, witnesses said.
Brigades from both cities played key roles in the bloody eight-month civil war that ended with the capture and killing of Qaddafi in October, but they have since refused to submit to the new authorities.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s president has condemned the continentwide Africa Union for recognizing Libya’s National Transitional Council at a recent summit, state radio reported Wednesday.
President Robert Mugabe returned to Harare late Tuesday from the gathering of African nations in Ethiopia.
At the airport, he accused unnamed African countries of being “fronts” for Western powers whose “criminal” NATO bombardment of Libya helped lead to the killing of Qaddafi, a former Mugabe ally, state radio said.
Other independent accounts from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, said Mugabe told fellow African leaders there Western countries now saw their organization as “a toothless bulldog.”
He said Qaddafi was killed “in broad daylight” and his children were hunted like animals, the independent NewZimbabwe media agency reported.
“Then we rush to recognize the NTC” without demanding an investigation in Qaddafi’s murder, Mugabe said
He cautioned that Western powers suffering the effects of recession could target other African countries for their mineral wealth and resources.
“Who is next?” he said, repeating warnings he gave his to own party at its national convention in Zimbabwe in December that Western powers were not to be trusted.
Also, forces loyal to the deposed regime have been attacking troops from the new regime, adding another layer of chaos.
On Wednesday, a gunbattle between rival militias erupted in Tripoli, illustrating how Libya’s new rulers have so far failed to put their stamp on their country and bring it under control.
No one was hurt in the bizarre standoff. Witnesses say remnants of fighting groups from the towns of Misrata and Zintan faced off in downtown Tripoli over control of a sports complex on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.
The two sides fired rifles and heavy machine guns, witnesses said, but mostly in the air, shattering the complex’s windows and damaging a number of nearby cars. After about an hour, Tripoli’s high security council, which is under the Interior Ministry, blocked off the area and took control of the building.
The skirmish was part of a larger battle between the two groups over control of sensitive spots like the airport. The Misrata brigade had been camped out in the sports complex and the Zintan brigade tried to take it from them, witnesses said.
Brigades from both cities played key roles in the bloody eight-month civil war that ended with the capture and killing of Qaddafi in October, but they have since refused to submit to the new authorities.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe’s president has condemned the continentwide Africa Union for recognizing Libya’s National Transitional Council at a recent summit, state radio reported Wednesday.
President Robert Mugabe returned to Harare late Tuesday from the gathering of African nations in Ethiopia.
At the airport, he accused unnamed African countries of being “fronts” for Western powers whose “criminal” NATO bombardment of Libya helped lead to the killing of Qaddafi, a former Mugabe ally, state radio said.
Other independent accounts from the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, said Mugabe told fellow African leaders there Western countries now saw their organization as “a toothless bulldog.”
He said Qaddafi was killed “in broad daylight” and his children were hunted like animals, the independent NewZimbabwe media agency reported.
“Then we rush to recognize the NTC” without demanding an investigation in Qaddafi’s murder, Mugabe said
He cautioned that Western powers suffering the effects of recession could target other African countries for their mineral wealth and resources.
“Who is next?” he said, repeating warnings he gave his to own party at its national convention in Zimbabwe in December that Western powers were not to be trusted.
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