Musa Kusa Warns Libya Could Be 'New Somalia' - 12th Apr 2011

REMEMBER LOCKERBIE?
1988
270 DEAD

Libyan defector Musa Kusa has warned civil war could see his country becoming "a new Somalia".

Reading a prepared statement, it is the first time the former foreign minister has spoken publicly since abandoning the Colonel Muammar Gaddafi regime and flying to the UK.

He said: "I ask everybody, all the parties, to avoid taking Libya into a civil war.

"This would lead to so much blood and Libya will be a new Somalia."

He added: "More than that, we refuse to divide Libya. The unity of Libya is essential to any solution and settlement for Libya."

The defection of Mr Kusa - believed to have been an intelligence officer at the time of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing - was seen as a major blow to the Libyan leader's regime.

His statement continued: "The solution in Libya will come from the Libyans themselves, and through discussion and democratic dialogue."

Mr Kusa made the comments to the BBC at a secret location in London, speaking in Arabic which was translated for the broadcast. Read More