INTERVIEW WITH LIBYAN LEADER COLONEL MU'AMMAR AL-QADHDHAFI BY TALHAH JIBRIL AT AL-'AZIZIYAH BARRACKS IN TRIPOLI ON 30 APRIL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP05-01559R000400430032-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 2, 2012
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: May 5, 1988
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

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053 7-
-LIBYA: AL-QADHDHAFI OFFERS ARABS 'TRUE LIBERTIES' pr `llp
Thu May 05 08:47:50 1988 Qa~4x;
T26576 Thu May 05 09:00:41 1988
FBIS
(REPORT ON INTERVIEW WITH LIBYAN LEADER COLONEL MU'AMMAR AL-
QADHDHAFI BY TALHAH JIBRIL AT AL-'AZIZIYAH BARRACKS IN TRIPOLI ON 30
APRIL)
(TEXT) COLONEL MU'AMMAR AL-QADHDHAFI HAS APPEALED TO ALL ARABS
AND LIBYANS LIVING ABROAD TO RETURN TO LIBYA, NOTING THAT THERE ARE
NO RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR EXERCISE OF THEIR FREEDOM ON LIBYAN
TERRITORY. THE APPEAL WAS MADE DURING COL AL-QADHDHAFI'S INTERVIEW
WITH A GROUP OF ARAB JOURNALISTS AT THE AL-'AZIZIYAH BARRACKS IN
TRIPOLI IN WHICH AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT PARTICIPATED. HE SAID THAT ARABS
LIVING OUTSIDE THE ARAB HOMELAND BECAUSE OF PERSECUTION AND
EXPLOITATION CAN RETURN TO LIBYA.
HE URGED ARAB SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICIANS WORKING ABROAD TO PLACE
THEIR CAPABILITIES AT THE SERVICE OF THEIR NATION. IT IS IMPROPER,
HE SAID, FOR ANY ARAB TO SERVE THE UNITED STATES OR BRITAIN OR TO
JOIN THE SPITEFUL CRUSADE CAMP WHICH IS BENT ON DESTROYING THE ARAB
NATION. HE ADDED THAT THE ARAB EXPERTS WORKING IN THE FIELDS OF
NUCLEAR ENERGY IN THE WEST ARE THE ONES WHO IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER
MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR ISRAEL TO HAVE NUCLEAWEAPONS, WHICH MEANS
THAT ARAB EFFORTS ARE BEING EXPLOITED IN THE INTERESTS OF THE
ISRAELIS. HE ADDED THAT THESE PEOPLE SHOULD RETURN TO THEIR NATION
AND RETURN TO ARAB LAND.
HE STRONGLY CRITICIZED THOSE ARABS WORKING FOR THE BBC AND THE
VOA. HOW, HE SAID, COULD AN ARAB BROADCAST OVER LONDON RADIO AND
TALK ABOUT ISRAEL WHEN THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ISRAEL, ONLY
PALESTINE?
HE WENT ON TO WONDER: WHY SHOULD AN ARAB BE FORCED TO BROADCAST
IMPERIALIST ABUSE AND PROPAGANDA IN ARABIC? IN RETURN FOR WHAT IS
HE DOING THIS? IF HE IS DOING IT IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO EAT AND
DRINK, THEN HE CAN COME TO LIBYA AND WE WILL PROVIDE HIS FOOD AND
DRINK. WE SHOULD LET THE BRITISH BROADCAST WHAT THEY WISH TO
BROADCAST IN THEIR OWN BROKEN ARABIC. THEY SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
FIND AN ARAB TO WORK FOR THEM, BECAUSE THERE CAN BE NO JUSTIFICATION
FOR AN ARAB WHO CURSES HIS OWN PEOPLE AND NATION. WHEN THE BRITISH
WANT TO CALL US NAMES THEY GIVE THE JOB TO AN ARAB WHO USES HIS
LANGUAGE AND ELOQUENCE TO PROMOTE PROPAGANDA AND HURL ABUSE AT THIS
NATION.
HE SAID THAT VOA, WHICH EMPLOYS ARAB BROADCASTERS, DESCRIBES THE
ARAB NATION AS A BACKWARD BARBARIC NATION NOT INTERESTED IN PEACE
AND SAYS THAT ISRAEL WANTS PEACE. IF SUCH A PERSON IS DOING THAT
FOR A SALARY THEN LET HIM COME HERE AND WE WILL GIVE HIM SUCH A
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SALARY AND IF HE WANTS FOOD AND DRINK THEN HE CAN GET THAT ON THIS
FREE LAND.
HE ALSO SAID: YUNIS BAHRI, WHO USED TO BROADCAST FROM THE VOICE
OF GERMANY DURING WORLD WAR II, DID SO IN ORDER TO WIN THE ARAB
NATION OVER TO HITLER'S SIDE AND HE AT LEAST USED TO SAY THAT THE
ARABS SHOULD PROTECT THEIR TERRITORY FROM THE ALLIES. VOA, RADIO
MONTE CARLO, AND THE BBC, HOWEVER, CURSE THE ARAB NATION; SO WHY
SHOULD AN ARAB TRANSLATE WHAT THE AMERICANS AND BRITISH SAY AND THEN
BROADCAST IT TO HIS NATION?
DURING HIS INTERVIEW, ATTENDED BY AN AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT
REPRESENTATIVE, COLONOL AL-QADHDHAFI REVIEWED THE CONDITIONS WHICH
PREVAILED IN LIBYA BEFORE THE RECENT DECISIONS. HE SAID THAT THOSE
WHO HAD COOPERATED WITH FOREIGN CIRCLES IN THE WEST HAD WRONGED
THEMSELVES AND THE FAULT LAY WITH THEM AND THAT THOSE WHO WERE
LIQUIDATED WERE ENEMIES AND ALLIES OF MOSSAD AND U.S. INTELLIGENCE
AND HAD BEEN TRAINED BY THOSE SERVICES TO FIGHT THE LIBYAN PEOPLE.
THAT, HE SAID, EXPLAINS THE LIQUIDATIONS WHICH OCCURRED IN EUROPE'S
STREETS. THAT PAGE, HE STRESSED, HAS BEEN TURNED. HE ADDED: ON
THIS OCCASION I APPEAL TO ALL ARABS ABROAD WHO FLED FROM REPRESSION,
PURSUIT, PRISON, AND LACK OF FREEDOM AND RIGHTS, INCLUDING RIGHT TO
SELF-DETERMINATION, TO RETURN TO LIBYA TO EXERCISE ALL THE THINGS
WHICH THEY WERE DEPRIVED OF AND ON ACCOUNT OF WHICH THEY WERE
EXPELLED.
(MORE)
5 MAY 1236Z MKP
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(TEXT) HE ALSO SAID: SOME LIBYANS HAVE MADE INQUIRIES TO ARAB
NEWSPAPERS ABOUT THE TRUTH. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT ANY LIBYAN
WISHING TO LIVE ABROAD IS FREE TO DO SO AND HE WOULD NOT BE
PRESSURED TO COME TO LIBYA. THERE ARE SOME LIBYANS WHO DO NOT
SUPPORT THE REVOLUTION AND ARE IN FAVOR OF A CAPITALIST REGIME BUT
HAVE NOT BEEN RECRUITED BY THE ENEMY. IF THEY WISH TO REMAIN
ABROAD, THEY ARE FREE TO DO SO. THEY ARE ALSO FREE TO RETURN HOME
IF THEY SO WISH.
HE ADDED THAT ANY LIBYAN WHO FEELS HE HAS BEEN WRONGED OR THAT
HIS HOME OR FARM HAS BEEN TAKEN FROM HIM CAN TAKE HIS CASE TO THE
PEOPLE'S COURT FORMED BY THE LIBYAN PEOPLE THROUGH THE PEOPLE'S
CONGRESSES. IF IT CAN BE PROVED THAT HE ACQUIRED THESE PROPERTIES
WITH HIS OWN HARD WORK THEN THEY WOULD BE RETURNED TO HIM. SO,
ANYONE WISHING TO RETURN TO LIBYA, LIVE HERE, OR GO OUT AGAIN IS
FREE TO DO SO AND WOULD NOT HAVE TO SEEK ANYONE'S PERMISSION. IF HE
WANTED TO LEAVE ACROSS THE BORDERS, HE WOULD FIND NO LIBYAN
AUTHORITY ON THE BORDER, AL-QADHDHAFI SAID, AND LIBYANS LIVING
ABROAD CAN ASCERTAIN THIS FACT. ANYONE FROM ANY GROUP CAN RETURN TO
LIBYA AND SEE FOR HIMSELF AND THEN CONVEY TPE TRUTH TO THE OTHERS
ABROAD, HE SAID.
AL-QADHDHAFI ADDED THAT THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT ON THESE DECISIONS
AND IF SOMEONE WISHES TO REMAIN ABROAD, SO BE IT, AND WHENEVER HE
WISHES TO RETURN HE WILL BE FREE TO DO SO. SARCASTICALLY, HE SAID
THAT IF THE ARABS WANT PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN EUROPE, SO BE IT; LET
THE ARABS COLONIZE EUROPE. HE ADDED THAT THE RECENT DECISIONS WILL
ASSUME A CONSTITUTIONAL CHARACTER ONCE APPROVED BY THE PEOPLE'S
CONGRESS, SO THAT EVERYONE WILL REST ASSURED THAT THIS IS A
PERMANENT CONSTITUTIONAL MEASURE THAT CANNOT BE ABROGATED.
ASKED IF ANY OF THOSE LIVING ABROAD HAVE RESPONDED TO THESE
DECISIONS, AL-QADHDHAFI SAID: LARGE GROUPS HAVE RETURNED.
REGARDING THOSE WHO WERE UNJUSTLY JAILED, AL-QADHDHAFI SAID THEY
CAN TAKE THEIR CASES TO THE COURTS AND THEY WOULD BE REHABILITATED
IF THEY HAD INDEED BEEN WRONGED. THE PUBLIC, HE SAID, HAS BEEN
OVERJOYED AT THE RECENT DECISIONS BECAUSE EVEN THOSE WHO HAD PLOTTED
AND DESERVED TO DIE WERE RELEASED. PEOPLE DANCED IN THE STREETS
WHEN FREEDOM WAS CONFIRMED.
ASKED ABOUT GUARANTEES THAT THIS FREEDOM WOULD CONTINUE, HE SAID:
THE PEOPLE'S CONGRESSES WILL FORMULATE THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONCEPT OF
THAT AND WILL LAY DOWN THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH FREEDOM WOULD BE
LOST AND WHO WOULD DESERVE PRISON OR EXECUTION.
HE HASTENED TO ADD: I PERSONALLY AM AGAINST THE DEATH SENTENCE
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AND AGAINST HARD LABOR. HE SAID THAT THE PROCESS OF LEGISLATING THE
RECENT DECISIONS WILL BEGIN TOMORROW, TUESDAY.
ON THE ISSUE OF OPPOSITION, COLONEL AL-QADHDHAFI SAID THAT THERE
IS NO OPPOSITION IN LIBYA.
ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND THE FORMATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES,
HE SAID THAT ANY LIBYAN CITIZEN CAN PUBLISH A NEWSPAPER PROVIDED IT
IS NOT FINANCED FROM ABROAD, AND IF A CITIZEN CANNOT PUBLISH A
NEWSPAPER HE CAN EXPRESS HIS VIEWS IN A SIGNED LEAFLET IN WHICH HE
IS ENTITLED TO WRITE ANYTHING, EVEN IF IT INCLUDES ABUSE OF AL-
QADHDHAFI, OR HE CAN WRITE ON WALLS IF HE HAS NO PAPER, AND ONCE THE
PEOPLE HAVE READ WHAT HE HAS WRITTEN THE WALL WRITING WILL THEN BE
ERASED. AS FOR PARTIES, A PARTY IS FORMED FOR THE PROMOTION OF A
CERTAIN PROGRAM. ANYONE CAN JOIN THE PEOPLE'S CONGRESSES AND SUBMIT
HIS PROGRAM THERE. IF THE PEOPLE ARE CONVINCED, SUCH A PROGRAM
WOULD THEN BE IMPLEMENTED, BUT SECRET WORK IS NOT ALLOWED. WHAT IS
IMPORTANT, HE SAID, IS THAT VIEWS ARE EXPRESSED PUBLICLY.
AL-QADHDHAFI WAS ASKED IF COMMITMENT TO THE GREEN BOOK IDEAS WAS
NECESSARY. HE REPLIED THAT ANYONE WHO TALKS THAT WAY DOES NOT KNOW
THE GREEN BOOK.
HE ASSERTED THAT AFTER THE RECENT DECISION LIBYA HAS NOW BECOME
THE LAND OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND TRUE LIBERTIES. HE CALLED FOR THE
HEADQUARTERS OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS
TO BE TRANSFERRED TO LIBYA. THESE ORGANIZATIONS, HE AID, ARE NOW
LOCATED IN THE WEST, WHERE THERE IS NO REAL FREEDOM BECAUSE WESTERN
CIVILIZATION IS BASED ON EXPLOITATION. HE ADDED THAT THE HOME
SECRETARY IN BRITAIN, THE HEADQUARTERS OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, HAS
RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE BIGGEST BRITISH PRISON,
BIG ENOUGH TO ABSORB THOUSANDS OF UNEMPLOYED PEOPLE WHO CONSTITUTE A
THREAT TO BRITAIN'S SECURITY; SO HOW CAN T-TERRIBLY REPRESSIVE
STATE BE THE HEADQUARTERS OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL? HE CONTINUED:
HUMAN RIGHTS ARE WHAT DISTINGUISHES MAN FROM THE ANIMALS. ONE'S
EFFORT IS WHAT MATTERS. AN ORDINARY CITIZEN IN THE WEST CANNOT
DETERMINE HIS OWN FATE, AND I CHALLENGE THEM TO GIVE CITIZENS
FREEDOM OF SELF-DETERMINATION AND CARRY OUT A REFERENDUM TO FIND OUT
IF THE PEOPLE REALLY WANT TO FIGHT NICARAGUA, PANAMA, LIBYA, OR THE
PALESTINIAN PEOPLE. THE ANSWER WOULD BE A CATEGORICAL NO. THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE DO NOT WISH TO FIGHT US, BUT THE RULING EXPLOITING
CIRCLES LINKED TO ZIONISM DO AND THEY VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS. THE
U.S. PRESIDENT, FOR EXAMPLE, IS DEFINITELY A DICTATOR WHEN HE
PREVENTS HIS NATIONALS FROM VISITING LIBYA OR WORKING HERE AND WHEN
HE BANS U.S. COMPANIES FROM OPERATING IN LIBYA. THE SAME THING
APPLIES TO BRITAIN. DOES THAT NOT CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF HUMAN
RIGHTS? ANOTHER EXAMPLE: THE POPULATION OF FRANCE IS 50 MILLION BUT
ONLY 10 MILLION PARTICIPATED IN THE ELECTIONS, 5 VOTING FOR
MITTERRAND AND 5 VOTING AGAINST HIM. SO, DID THE FRENCH PEOPLE
REALLY EXERCISE FREE SELF-DETERMINATION? ELECTIONS IN WESTERN
STATES ARE FINANCED BY ZIONISM AND LEADERS THERE ARE NOT ELECTED BY
THE PEOPLE.
(MORE)
05 MAY 1235Z WCB
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T26588 Thu May 05 09:04:40 1988
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055
-TAKE 3 OF 3 -- 053 (AL-QADHDHAFI INTERVIEW)
(TEXT) COLONEL AL-QADHDHAFI ANNOUNCED THAT ALL ARAB PAPERS,
MAGAZINES, PUBLICATIONS, AND BOOKS ARE ALLOWED IN LIBYAN MARKETS AND
THAT IF A DECISION WERE TO BE MADE LINKING THE (LIBYAN -- FBIS)
BROADCASTING STATION TO ANY OTHER ARAB BROADCASTING STATION, WE
WOULD HAVE NO RESERVATIONS ABOUT THAT. WE FEAR NO THREAT FROM THE
ARAB WORLD, AND I TELL THEM (THE ARABS -- FBIS) THAT ANYONE WHO HAS
A PAPER OR PUBLICATION TO SELL IN LIBYAN MARKETS CAN DO SO WHETHER
HE DELIVERS IT BY AIR OR ON A CAMEL.
ANSWERING A QUESTION ABOUT FOREIGN REACTION TO THE RECENT RELEASE
OF FOREIGN DETAINEES, AL-QADHDHAFI SAID: THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO
ETHICS. THEY GOT THEIR PRISONERS BACK AND THAT WAS THAT. THE WAY
WE SEE IT, IF YOU DO SOMEONE A FAVOR HE RETURNS THAT FAVOR, BUT NOT
SO IN THE WEST. IF WESTERN CIVILIZATION IS THE CIVILIZATION OF
ELECTRONS AND SATELLITES, THEN IT IS NOT A REAL CIVILIZATION. IF WE
OBSERVE SPIDERS OR ANTS, WE SEE THAT THEY DO VERY STRANGE THINGS. A
SPIDER'S NEST, FOR EXAMPLE, LOOKS AS IF IT WAS BUILT WITH AN
ELECTRONIC BRAIN. ANTS BURY THEIR DEAD AND SAVE THEIR ENERGY FROM
SEASON TO SEASON, OPERATING LIKE MACHINES, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN
THAT SPIDERS AND ANTS ARE CIVILIZED. THE rACT THAT THE UNITED
STATES AND EUROPE MANUFACTURE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT DOES NOT MEAN
THAT THEY ARE CIVILIZED.
ASKED IF SOME PEOPLE ARE STILL IN PRISON, HE SAID THAT THERE ARE
A FEW DOZEN WHO HAD EXPLOITED RELIGION IN POLITICS OR CONSPIRED WITH
FOREIGNERS. HE ADDED: THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO SET THEM
FREE, BECAUSE IF I DID THE PUBLIC WOULD FIGHT THEM IN THE STREETS.
SO TO SAVE THEIR LIVES, WE HAVE KEPT THEM IN PRISON, BUT WE HAVE
RELEASED ALL FOREIGNERS.
REGARDING LIBYANS RESIDING ABROAD BUT HAVING NO LIBYAN PASSPORTS
AND WISHING TO RETURN HOME, HE SAID THEY CAN CONTACT THE LIBYAN
EMBASSIES ABROAD AND OBTAIN TRAVEL DOCUMENTS OR PASSPORTS TO TRAVEL
ON, AND THEY WOULD BE GIVEN EVERY FACILITY.
HE ADDED THAT THOSE IMPRISONED IN THE PAST WERE UNFAIR TO
THEMSELVES BECAUSE IT WAS A SELF-INFLICTED IMPRISONMENT FOR
PLOTTING. THEY WRONGED THEIR OWN FAMILITIES AND BROUGHT THEM INTO
DISREPUTE, AND THEY WERE UNFAIR TO US BECAUSE THEY TURNED US INTO
JAILERS. AL-QADHDHAFI NOTED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A WORLDWIDE
RESPONSE TO THE RECENT DECISIONS.
ASKED IF LIBYANS LIVING ABROAD WHO HAD ENGAGED IN POLITICAL
ACTIVITY AGAINST THEIR COUNTRY WOULD BE PERMITTED TO RETURN HOME, HE
SAID THAT THEY ARE FREE TO COME AND GO AS THEY PLEASE AND THEY CAN
EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS IN THE PEOPLE'S CONGRESSES.
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ASKED IF THIS DECISION ALSO COVERS SUCH PEOPLE AS FORMER
REVOLUTION COMMAND COUNCIL MEMBER 'UMAR AL-MUHAYSHI, HE REPLIED:
EVEN 'UMAR AL-MUHAYSHI. SO, IF YOU FIND HIM, INVITE HIM TO RETURN
AND NOTIFY HIM OF THIS AND REPORT IT IN YOUR PAPERS. HE WOULD NOT
BE QUESTIONED ABOUT ANYTHING; I GUARANTEE THAT. (AT THIS POINT ONE
OF THE PEOPLE PRESENT POINTED OUT THAT AL-MUHAYSHI WAS ALREADY IN
TRIPOLI)
AL-QADHDHAFI SAID THAT HE HAD NO STATISTICS SHOWING THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALREADY RETURNED, AND THAT THIS MEANT NOTHING TO
HIM. WHAT IS IMPORTANT, HE SAID, IS THAT LIBYA HAS DEMOLISHED
PRISONS AND BORDERS AND ANY ARAB CAN ENTER IT WITHOUT A PASSPORT OR
VISA, FOR LIBYA IS THE LAND OF THE ARABS AND SHOULD HAVE NO GATE
BARRIERS AND SHOULD BE A MAGNET FOR ALL THE ARABS.
AT THE END OF THE INTERVIEW AL-SHARQ AL-AWSAT'S REPRESENTATIVE
ASKED COLONEL AL-QADHDHAFI IF IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO MAKE FIELD
INQUIRIES AND MEET WITH THE RELEASED PRISONERS AND RETURNEES AND TO
ASK THE AVERAGE PEOPLE THEIR OPINION OF THE RECENT DECISIONS. HE
REPLIED: YOU ARE FREE TO DO WHATEVER YOU LIKE, AND IF YOU SEE SOME
FAULT OR SOMETHING WRONG DURING YOUR INQUIRY, THEN YOU MUST WRITE
ABOUT IT SO THAT WE MAY REMEDY IT.
(ENDALL)
05 MAY 1250Z'WCB
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