Libya seizes tanks from pro-Gaddafi militia

More than 100 tanks have been seized from a militia loyal to Libya’s ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi as authorities hunted the perpetrators of a double car bombing, the interior ministry has said.

Friday, August 24, 2012
An investigation has been launched into bomb attacks earlier this week which killed two people Net photo

More than 100 tanks have been seized from a militia loyal to Libya’s ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi as authorities hunted the perpetrators of a double car bombing, the interior ministry has said.A ministry official said on Thursday that an investigation into the attacks on Sunday helped in detecting the militia which posed as "revolutionaries” and was housed in barracks in Souk al-Ahad near Tarhuna, 60km southeast of Tripoli."More than 100 tanks and 26 missile launchers were seized” from the militia, Abdelmonem al-Hur, spokesman for the interior ministry’s High Security Committee, told a news conference.The car bombs killed two people and wounded four others in Tripoli in the dawn attacks which took place as Muslims prepared to attend prayers on the first day of the Eid al-Fitr holidays.The spokesman said that one person was killed and eight others were wounded as security forces arrested the militia’s leader, Khaled Ibrahim Krid, in an operation on Wednesday.Thirteen people were also arrested in the operation, while three others escaped.The interior ministry had on Wednesday reported clashes between Tarhuna members of the security services and suspects allegedly involved in Sunday’s blasts.The pro-Gaddafi militia known as Katibat al-Awfiya (Brigade of the Faithful) was known internally as the "Brigade of Martyr Muammar Gaddafi,” who was killed last October, according to Hor."We believed the Katibat defended Libya and the revolution, but it turned out to be contrary,” he said.