Gaddafi’s daughter denies fleeing her country
February 25th, 2011 - 1:19 pm ICT by IANSTripoli, Feb 25 (IANS/AKI) Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafis’ daughter has denied reports by Arabic media that she had fled to Malta amid serious unrest in her North African country. Speaking on state television, Aisha Gaddafi Thursday dismissed reports she had left the country as “foreign lies”.
“I say to the Libyan people who I love and who love me, that I am steadfastly here, in front of this wreck of a house,” said the 33-year-old lawyer.
Wearing a headscarf, she appeared in front of her residence in Gaddafi’s Bab al-Aziziya military compound in Tripoli, which was bombed by the US airforce in 1986.
“The Libyans who know me are well aware that I will stay here as a goodwill ambassador for Libya’s people,” she said, claiming she was unaware of the UN’ announcement Wednesday that she had been dropped as a goodwill ambassador amid violence which has reportedly killed at least a 1,000 people protesting against her father’s rule.
Her strongman father chose the Bab al-Aziziya compound as the backdrop for his defiant televised address Tuesday.
In his address, Gaddafi denied reports he fled to Venezuela and said he would remain in Libya as leader, die as a martyr in the land of his ancestors and fight to the “last drop” of his blood.
Gaddafi also pledged to deploy the army and police to quell the week-long rebellion and vowed protesters would be executed. He has ruled Libya for 41 years since he toppled King Idris in a bloodless coup in September, 1969, at the age of 27.
The Al-Jazeera Arabic satellite TV channel reported Wednesday that Aisha Gaddafi was aboard a 14-seat passenger plane which entered Maltese airspace without authorisation and was denied permission to land at Valletta’s airport.
–IANS/AKI
rd
- Gaddafi wandered Tripoli streets in disguise - Aug 24, 2011
- India monitoring Libya situation, offers assistance - Aug 23, 2011
- Gaddafi vows to fight till death - Jun 08, 2011
- Libyan govt. brands 'Gaddafi's son's killing' story as "nonsensical piece of news" - Mar 22, 2011
- Turmoil rages in Libya, UN slaps sanctions (Roundup) - Feb 27, 2011
- 'Gaddafi's daughter Aisha is Claudia Schiffer of North Africa' - Mar 22, 2011
- Nicaragua ready to shelter Gaddafi - Aug 24, 2011
- Gaddafi appears in public, vows to fight on - Mar 23, 2011
- Libyan rebels warn of a 'fight till death' with Gaddafi's loyalists - Mar 14, 2011
- NTC seeks Gaddafi family's extradition - Oct 21, 2011
- Gaddafi appears on state television - May 12, 2011
- Libyan rebels to move headquarters to Tripoli - Aug 24, 2011
- Al Qaeda forms 200-strong force: Report - Dec 30, 2011
- Gaddafi's wife in talks to buy Croatian resort - Sep 08, 2011
- Italy calls on Gaddafi to surrender - Aug 22, 2011
Tags: airspace, aisha gaddafi, al jazeera, arabic media, authorisation, bab, bloodless coup, goodwill ambassador, headscarf, king idris, libyan leader muammar, libyans, martyr, military compound, passenger plane, satellite tv channel, seat passenger, state television, strongman, tripoli