Gaddafi threatens West with al Qaeda alliance

Tripoli, Mar 16: In a clear sign of desperation to cling on to power, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has threatened US and other western powers, to not to attack his country or else he would ally with the al Qaeda to rage a "holy war".

Gaddafi's 41-year old regime has been threatened by Egypt-inspired revolts which have turned violent with the protesters sticking to their demand of his ouster and he in turn using his military to crush the rebels. Till date, nearly 4,000 people are feared to be killed by the bombings by Libyan warplanes and tanks.

US and other Western countries are mulling over imposing a no-fly zone on Libya to curb the usage of military warfare on protesters. Even the Arab League has supported the idea stating that his usage of military against his compatriots stripped him of any moral right to stay in power.

Gaddafi has repeatedly said that the rebels are drug-addicts incited by al Qaeda to rage a war against the country. Previously he dismissed any proposal of talks with the protesters and said, "They (the rebels) don't have any hope. Their cause is lost. They only have two possibilities: to surrender or to flee."

In an interview with the Italian daily Il Giornale, when asked if he feared for a fate like Saddam Hussein, he said, "No, our war is against al Qaida..if they (the West) behave with us as they did in Iraq, then Libya will leave the international alliance against terrorism. We will then ally ourselves with al Qaeda and declare a holy war."

OneIndia News