Thursday, August 25, 2011

LIBYA - Rebels, Gadhafi, and at the Rixos Hotel

"Rebels, Regime Loyalists Clash as Gadhafi Vows 'Victory or Martyrdom'" (Part-1) PBS Newshour 8/24/2011

Excerpt from transcript

RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): The revolution in Libya isn't over yet. Moammar Gadhafi and his immediate family are still at large. Firefights continue in the capital and elsewhere.

We begin our coverage with a report narrated by Jonathan Rugman of Independent Television News.

JONATHAN RUGMAN: Yesterday, they were celebrating its capture, but today Colonel Gadhafi's compound was a battlefield once again.

The fighting was fierce. Libyan rebels used everything they had, even a gun designed to shoot down aircraft. The rebels say hundreds have been killed in Tripoli in the last few days, as a hard core of Gadhafi loyalists seems determined to fight until the last.

In a radio broadcast last night, the man once known as "Brother Leader" vowed to fight or die. "Victory or martyrdom," he said, calling on Libyan tribes to march on the capital. The man who ruled for over 40 years hasn't been seen in public since April. Today, Gadhafi's former justice minister said he didn't object to the colonel's departure from Libya, as long as he faces international law. And he offered an amnesty and money if only someone would turn him in.

MUSTAFA ABDEL JALIL, head of Libyan National Council (through translator): Businessmen in Benghazi have set up an award of two million Libyan dinars for anyone who captures Gadhafi. And from another hand, the National Transitional Council announces that anyone from his inner circle who kills Gadhafi or captures him shall receive amnesty from the community.



"Libyans Show 'Best of Humanity' in Aiding Journalists' Escape From Hotel" (Part-2) PBS Newshour 8/24/2011

Excerpt from transcript

RAY SUAREZ (Newshour): Among the journalists at the hotel was ITN's John Ray. He described his experience earlier today.

JOHN RAY, International Television News: We arrived at the Rixos Hotel very early on Monday morning, having been to Green Square to witness the rebels taking their place over.

The Rixos Hotel, frankly, was the only place we could think of to stay and is the place that we thought had been liberated. It was bum information. When we woke up the next day, we found that we were trapped, along with the rest of the press corps. And we all, all of us faced a very, very difficult dilemma.

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