Tripoli, 23 May:
There was an armed clash at Tripoli International Airport today between members of a Zintan brigade and airport security staff . . .[restrict]in which shorts were fired near an Afriqiyah Airways plane.
The clash stared after a member of the brigade who is also a relative of Defence Minister Osama Juewaily was arrested trying to enter the airport. He had reportedly refused to to show any identification. This resulted in a verbal altercation between him and the security men. When he then thretened them with a gun, he was arrested.
Zintan brigadesmen, who had handed over the aiport last month but are still in the surrounding area, came to the airport and after firing guns and threatening the security guards released the man.
A report has been sent to the Interior Minister.
On Sunday the manager of the airport’s Afriqiyah Airways office was seized and held for 12 hours by airport guards from the same Zintan brigade. [/restrict]
