Libya: Gaddafi Regime Unraveling As Cash And Gold Is Brought Into Niger from Sirte

Reuters reports a convoy of 10 vehicles crossed into Niger carrying money taken from a branch of the Central Bank of Libya, confirmed by a spokesman for the ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) today. "They took the money from the central bank in Sirte," Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, an NTC spokesman told Reuters in Benghazi. Sirte is the birthplace of fugitive strongman Muammar Gaddafi.

An NTC official earlier said a Libyan convoy of 10 vehicles carrying gold and cash crossed into Niger late on Monday, citing sources among the Tuareg people who live in the Sahara desert on both sides of the frontier. Reuters said today that what appears now to be a string of 200 to 250 vehicles could have been part of a dramatic secret attempt by Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi to find refuge in a friendly African state, possibly Burkina Faso, which has offered him asylum. But other reports suggested that the vehicles were carrying Tuareg fighters who had been paid to fight for him.

The possibility might also exist that France may have brokered a deal between the rebels and Colonel Qaddafi but the French government declined to confirm the report. France was the first country to recognize the rebels who launched their uprising in February and has played a central role along with Britain and the United States in the NATO air campaign to weaken his forces.

Asked whether NATO was aware of the convoy’s reported movements, officials of the alliance at its headquarters in Brussels and its Libya operations base in Naples, Italy, declined to comment, saying they did not discuss intelligence matters.

EU-Digest

Libya leader gives Gaddafi loyalists surrender deadline

Libya’s interim leader on Tuesday gave forces loyal to deposed ruler Muammar Gaddafi a four-day deadline to surrender towns still under their control or face military force. A spokesman for the National Transitional Council said it would seek to extradite Gaddafi’s relatives from Algeria, which is alone among Libya’s neighbors in not recognizing the NTC.

Nearly 60 countries have acknowledged the NTC as Libya’s legitimate authority. Algeria, Russia, China, India, South Africa, Venezuela, and Brazil are among those which have so far withheld recognition.

For more: Libya leader gives Gaddafi loyalists surrender deadline | News | National Post

Libya: Fugitive Dictator Al Qathafi 'still in Libya' Offers to Negotiate

The whereabouts of the former leader of Libya, Muammar Al Qathafi, who is on the run, hiding himself and without any power to do anything, still makes believe that he can still dictate, or that the people of Libya, let alone the world is still listening to him.

Al Qathafi is certainly not in a position to negotiate, therefore his latest 'offer' to negotiate with the rebels to form a transitional government has not been taken seriously.

Moussa Ibrahim, who till a few days ago was the Libyan government's official spokesman and information secretary, a position he was appointed to during the conflict, like Al Qathafi, appears to have lost his teeth. Right now, he has become the fallen dictator's chief spokesman.

For more: Fugitive Dictator Al Qathafi 'still in Libya' Offers to Negotiate

Libya: African Union refuses to recognize Libya's new TNC government - by Richard Hall

Libya's transitional National Council (TNC) suffered a setback in its pursuit of legitimacy yesterday when the African Union (AU) refused to recognize it as being the country's legitimate government.

The TNC has been recognized by more than 40 countries, including some African states, but divisions remain within the African Union, some members of which were heavily bankrolled by the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi until he was ousted by the rebels earlier this week. 

For more: African Union refuses to recognise Libya's new TNC government - Africa, World - The Independent