Ahmed’s father was warned several days ago that if the family did not turn up for the demonstration they would “never see their son again”.
FAMILIES FORCED TO ATTEND GADDAFI RALLY?:
NTC “AGREES” TO TALKS:
TIMELINE – 3rd JUNE 2011 07.16 GMT:
Friday’s mass pro-Gaddafi demonstration in Tripoli begin to look a bit suspect when you read the horrifying report from the news agency AFP that families were threatened with retribution unless they attended the rally in Green Square.
How Many "Forced" to Attend?
A man, simply referred to as Mohammed, has told AFP that the still warm body of his 30 year old nephew with two bullet wounds to the head was dumped outside the family home after they refused to take part in the demonstrations supporting Gaddafi.
Ahmed’s father was warned several days ago that if the family did not turn up for the demonstration they would “never see their son again”.
Ahmed had apparently been held in Abu Salim prison since taking part in anti-Gaddafi demonstrations in February when an attempt was made to occupy the state TV station. The family had already assumed he had been killed by security forces.
Because of fuel shortages in Tripoli, the family were planning to walk 4 or 5 kilometres yesterday in order to be able to bury Ahmed’s body.
Mohammed said he had come forward because he wanted the world to know the true nature of the Gaddafi regime. You can read the report carried by Radio Netherlands in full HERE:
Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have previously reported evidence or executions by Gaddafi’s forces across Libya and if confirmed they could be used in evidence at any International Criminal Court proceedings.
Previously a NTC representative had claimed in London on June 26 that 187 prisoners had been killed at Abu Salim prison on 2 consecutive days earlier in the month.
Following the issuing of arrest warrants last Monday by the ICC, a South African law company, Langa Attorneys with offices in Johannesburg and Rome , which is claiming to represent Colonel Gaddafi, issued a statement saying that the ICC has no jurisdiction in Libya and that Gaddafi, as Head of State, has immunity.
The company also tried to use the ICC warrant as an excuse for “NATO to stop their bombings and to also abandon its threat to kill Colonel Gaddafi”, while legal procedures were taking their course.
Representatives of the NTC who attended the African Union summit in Equatorial Gunea have indicated that they would open talks with the Government in Tripoli if, as the AU has suggested, there is no direct involvement from Gaddafi.
The NTC said that this was the first time the AU had fully acknowledged the Libyan people’s desire for democracy and human rights.
The AU also requested an immediate ceasefire and the lifting of the UN no-fly zone. Both sides in the Libyan conflict would additionally request a UN peace keeping mission to oversee any agreed ceasefire.
However, the way forward is not yet clear, Mansour Saif al-Nasr, speaking for the NTC said that the NTC were prepared to stop the fighting if Gaddafi agreed to step down.
“If we see that Gaddafi withdraws, we are ready to stop and negotiate with our brothers who are around Gaddafi,” he added.
Speaking in Spain and reacting to Friday’s speech by Gaddafi, Hilary Clinton, US Secretary of State, said that Gaddafi should stop issuing threats against Europe and “step down from power”.
“The Nato-led mission is on track. The pressure on Gaddafi is mounting and the rebels have been gaining strength and momentum. We need to see this through and we are in complete agreement that we will,” Hilary Clinton added.
Apaches Delivering Hellfire Missiles
More details emerged of the NATO raids on Thursday and Friday this week.
On Friday British Apache helicopters using Hellfire missiles and canons attacked the al-Mayah military camp not far from Zawiyah, destroying a command and control vehicle, bunker firing positions and 3 tanks.
On Thursday, as previously reported, NATO destroyed an ammunition storage depot near Waddan in the centre of Libya.
