By Libya Herald staff.
Tripoli, 18 September 2014:
Misrata Airport officials have complained about the statement on Monday by Ibrahim Dabbashi, Libya’s UN ambassador at the . . .[restrict]UN Security Council, that the airport was under the control of “terrorist militias”.
Dabbashi had been addressing the Security Council and at the end of his speech said that both Misrata and Mitiga airports were were run by “terrorist militias” who allowed the delivery of weapons from other countries. These weapons,. he said, were enable the “terrorist groups” to be regularly supplied and to continue their activities in Libya
Expressing “deep resentment and puzzlement”, the Misrata officials said that the airport was under the control of the Ministry of Transport and that proper security measures were in place, under the oversight of the Ministry of Interior. They denied the presence of armed groups at the airport.
The officials mentioned that the airport was frequently used by international travelers, diplomatic personnel and senior Libyan political figures. It had been inspected by outside aviation bodies and was approved for international flights to locations such as London, Paris and Dusseldorf.
Accusing Dabbashi of lying, the officials said that just hours before Dabbashi had addressed the Security Council the German Ambassador had visited the airport.
Dabbashi’s house in Libya was demolished and burned shortly after he made his remarks to the Security Council, an act that was condemned in a statement released by the Geneva Centre for Human Rights Development and Global Dialogue. [/restrict]
