Libya warplanes bombing Tripoli: Resident

Libyan Mirage F1 Fighter Jets Escape To Malta After Refusing To Bomb Protesters.



Two Libyan Mirage F1 jet fighters have escaped the country after refusing to attack unarmed civilian protesters on the streets, landing in Malta’s International Airport, 211 miles north of their home country.

The two pilots; both senior colonels in the Libyan air force—have asked for political asylum after landing. They are now in police’s custody, awaiting further investigation. At the same time, two civilian Super Puma helicopters carrying French oil rig workers also landed in Malta after leaving Libya without clearance.

The news come among multiple eyewitness reports of aerial attacks on the demonstrators on the ground, as well as artillery fire, according to the Al Arabiya and Al Jazeera networks. There’s no footage on these attacks, however.

Source: [Gulf News and News24]

Photo: A Libyan airforce pilot walks next to his Mirage F1 fighter jet after landing at Malta International Airport outside Valletta February 21, 2011. Two Libyan fighter jets and two civilian helicopters landed unexpectedly in Malta on Monday, witnesses said. The office of Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said it was not clear whether the two fighter pilots intended to ask for asylum. They initially had asked to refuel, it said.
Photograph by: Darrin Zammit Lupi, Reuters

(23.02.2011)