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Libya: Islamists call on Air Force to bomb Gaddafi | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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London, Asharq Al-Awsat – The Islamic Movement for Change has issued a statement calling on Arab states and the international community to intervene and aid the Libyan protestors. The statement said that Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is intent upon pursuing a scorched earth policy with regards to the protests, destroying the country, its people, and state infrastructure, rather than relinquish power.

In a statement issued by the political office of the Libyan Islamic Movement for Change, which is a newly established Libyan Islamic movement, the group says that it is monitoring Gaddafi’s criminal acts and his utilization of the Samson Option [a deterrence strategy of massive retaliation], adding that this is due to the Libyan leader’s extreme paranoia.

The statement also expressed the Libyan Islamic Movement for Change’s fears for the lives of Libyan people, and their beloved country, and the group called on all Arabs and Muslims to urgently intervene and stop the massacre that is taking place in the country. The statement also called on the international community to put pressure on the Gaddafi regime to stop its criminal activities.

The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change statement also said “this regime has lost control of most Libyan cities with the exception of the main part of the capital Tripoli…which has forced this gang [the Gaddafi regime] to carry out airstrikes – using foreign pilots – against locations where protestors are gathering.” The statement added that “this is in order to guarantee freedom of movement to military brigades and foreign mercenaries that have been brought in from abroad to carry out a campaign of genocide against the Libyan people, away from the eyes of the outside world.”

The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change also said that “Gaddafi is committed to destroying Libya and its people, and he wants to ensure that if his end is inevitable, he will not fall alone, but take all of Libya with him.”

The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change statement also expressed surprise at “the international silence towards what is happening to the Libyan people.” It added “we consider the position that some countries and [international] institutes have taken with regards to condemning and denouncing [what is happening in Libya] as being insufficient and unbefitting the extent of the destruction that this regime plans for Libya and the Libyan people. We call on these countries and institutes…to develop this position and protect our families in Libya; we call on foreign support to help the Libyan people who are defenseless in the face of the brutality of Gaddafi and his regime.”

The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change statement said that it was calling for foreign intervention even though “we are aware of the sensitivity of this call and the desire of our people not to see any foreign interference on Libyan soil.”

The statement said “we understand the restlessness of our people with regards to the silence of western governments and the lack of clarity with regards to their positions, particularly the position of the Italian government.” It added that “everybody knows of the personal friendship between the Italian prime minister and Colonel Gaddafi, and we support the calls coming from some of the youth leading this revolution to stop exporting oil to Italy as a clear message to the Italian government which only understand the language of interests.”

The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change also praised the courage of Libyan Air Force pilots who refused to attack and bomb protestors, and called on them to take a historic position by carrying out air strikes against Gaddafi’s military compound in Bab al-Azizia and “cut off the head of the snake.” The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change called on Libyan Air Force pilots to bomb Gaddafi’s headquarters and thereby spare Libyan people the bloodbath being arranged by the Libyan leaders, enabling the people of Libya to regain their independence and freedom.

The statement ended by saying “the people of Libya will eventually triumph, and the people of Libya will close this black period of history as the tyrant closed his umbrella yesterday.” The Libyan Islamic Movement for Change also said that the Libyan revolution is sure to succeed because “the Libyan people have never been united throughout history as much as they are today, in the east and west…despite the attempts of some external parties to sow discord and revive regional prejudices” adding that “the Libyan people, with their loyal Bedouin nature, will accept the hand of any who come to their aid at this critical moment in their history.”