Gaddafi appears on TV, calls foreign channels ''''dogs''''

The newly set up high-power General Committee for Defence said its forces would cleanse Libya of anti-governmentelements.

A statement described the protesters as "terrorist gangsmade up mostly of misguided youths", who had been exploitedand fed "hallucinogenic pills" by people following foreignagendas.

Close on the heels of Libya''s envoys in Delhi and Dhakaquitting to protest the use of force against thedemonstrators, the country''s top diplomat in the US said hecould no longer support Gaddafi.

Libya''s envoy to the Arab League, Abdel Moneim al-Honi,also announced that he was joining the revolution.

The country''s diplomats at the United Nations called forinternational intervention to stop the government''s violentaction against demonstrations in their homeland.

Tripoli''s airport was packed with passengers trying toleave the country. Hundreds of people of differentnationalities, including Europeans, had gathered there withtheir families.

Armed security personnel patrolled Tripoli streets, withwar planes flying over the city.

Mobile phone networks were down and even landlines wereaffected.

Security forces yesterday used live ammunition, whichwitnesses described as "small bombs", on protesters inTripoli, ''The New York Times'' reported.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was "outraged"by reports that Libyan forces had fired on protesters from warplanes and helicopters, and demanded that the civilianpopulation be protected under any circumstances.

He urged all parties to exercise restraint andcalled on the authorities to engage in broad-based dialogueto address "legitimate concerns of the population."

The UN leader had a 40-minute telephone conversation withGaddafi earlier to press for an end to violence.