Tripoli, 27 March 2013:
Media reports that four foreign Christians held in prison in Benghazi for proselytising are to be released are not true, the Libya . . .[restrict]Herald has been told.
Diplomatic sources in Tripoli said today, Wednesday, that discussions on the subject with an official had been misunderstood.
Abdul Salam Barghathi, commander of the Office of Preventative Security, a department of the Ministry of Defence, had been quoted by Bloomberg as saying that the four would be allowed to return to their countries “to keep good diplomatic relations.”
Barghathi, however, when contacted by diplomats today, reportedly said that in the interview he had meant to say that the Christians “might,” rather than would be, released. He added that there might be more progress with the case tomorrow, Thursday.
The Christians are from South Africa, Egypt and South Korea, with the fourth holding joint American and Swedish nationality. They have been detained since early February. [/restrict]
