Britain expels Libyan diplomats: UPDATED WITH NAMES

Published: March 30, 2011 at 3:37pm

This is a photograph I took of the police photographer who recorded every face in the crowd of anti-Gaddafi protestors outside the Libyan embassy on 22 February

Agence France Presse (AFP) reports today that Britain has expelled five Libyan diplomats under suspicion of intimidating Libyan opposition groups and dissidents there.

UPDATE: Their names are Saad Al Mana, Hussain Al Ghazal, Mustafa Al Saadawi, Abdulrahman Al Sawaydi and Faraj Al Ayat.

Foreign Secretary William Hague told parliament: “To underline our grave concern at the regime’s behaviour I can announce to the house that we have today taken steps to expel five diplomats at the Libyan embassy in London including the military attache. The government also judged that were these individuals to remain in Britain they could pose a threat to our security.”

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We won’t go into details on their activities, but we believe they are among the strongest Gaddafi supporters in the embassy, that they have put pressure on Libyan opposition and student groups in the UK and that there is a risk of damage to UK national security if they remain.”

Compare this to Malta’s stance. Libyan diplomats here in Malta were permitted to surround the embassy railings with bundles of razor-wire (just try doing that yourself at home and see what happens) and when pro-Gaddafi demonstrators turned up for the first and only time to challenge the anti-Gaddafi demonstrators who had been there for a month, the police allowed them to stand at the embassy gate when they had several days before prevented the anti-Gaddafi demonstrators from doing so, making them stand across the road instead.

Then, when things began to heat up, the police and embassy officials cooperated to allow the pro-Gaddafi demonstrators into the embassy ‘for their safety’ (from what?) while several anti-Gaddafi protestors were arrested, manhandled by the police, dragged to court and each slapped with 5,000 euros bail which others paid for them. Shades of Inspector Anglu Farrugia in the 1980s.

I was suspicious about this back then, but I am even more suspicious now, given how things are panning out: during that first demonstration outside the Libyan embassy, on 22 February, I noticed one man using a small camera to film the crowd of demonstrators. He scanned the group slowly, focussing intently on each face, and barely stopped filming for a minute. My antennae went up but I thought that he must just be some novice and super-keen reporter, not wanting to miss a second of proceedings.

Then, when two protestors went up to the gate to present a letter to an embassy official, all cameras suddenly swung away from the crowd and towards the gate – except for Mr Keen, who carried on intently filming the faces of the demonstrators. He was standing by the gate, blocking my view of the exchange between the two protestors and the embassy official, so I asked him whether he would please move out of the way, given that he seemed to be more interested in the crowd than in what was happening behind his back, and he was standing in my way.

“No,” he said to me rudely. “I am not going to move.”

“Oh really?” I said. “And might I ask what news organisation you work for, given that you’re not filming the news behind your back?”

In response, and probably feeling really important and as though he was on some kind of secret service mission for James Bond, he looked at me with what he hoped was a suave expression and flicked his jacket back to reveal a piece of tape that said ‘Police’.

I asked him why the police were recording the faces of the crowd with such attention to detail and he wouldn’t answer, directing me to his superior instead. I asked the same question of his superior, who was standing some metres away, and said that I wanted to know what the film would be used for. His response was “Heqq hu, mhux parti mix-xoghol taghna dan?” (“Well, this is part of our work, isn’t it.”)

A reporter who overheard the exchange told me that the police always film the crowds at demonstrations. I told him that this is not the case at all, that I have been on several demonstrations which were not filmed, and that if some demonstrations are filmed with this level of intensity by the police – with each face documented – then this gives rise for concern as to what the footage is going to be used for.

Filming the crowd in general just in case trouble breaks out (but the police shouldn’t be filming the crowd at all to start with) is one thing. Having the police record the faces of people who are not breaking the law is another. It is shades of the Stasi or the Libyan secret police.

In situations like this one, that the Maltese police recorded the faces of Libyan demonstrators is very worrying. What do they plan to do with the information? All those men have families in Libya.

That film is in completely unsafe hands, because the police simply cannot be trusted. They do not even trust each other: the good officers are forced to keep things concealed from the bad ones. Any information which they have can be leaked by a single officer to anyone, and the police force is packed with scum.

That tape, with the faces of Libyan protestors clearly documented, can be copied and given to the Libyan embassy or to one of the many pro-Gaddafi agents operating in Malta.




41 Comments Comment

  1. Reminds me of the seventies during anti government demonstrations, where the police used to take stills of our faces instead of film and we used to end up on the front pages of the Labour Party newspapers. Then came the harassment and the arrests.

  2. Edward Caruana Galizia says:

    It seems our politicians have misjudged the situation completely. They must have thought that we had a good reason to remain neutral. Like we have some kind of leverage that will make the rest of the world understand why we sit idly by and watch Libya drown in its own blood and the rest of the world struggle to stop Gaddafi.

    And I think that leverage is the problem with illegal immigration.

    Illegal immigration has been a problem for all of Europe for the past decade. It was something every country had to deal with. Multiculturalism in Europe has caused problems for many EU countries. Malta was not the only one dealing with it. Malta did expect to be helped out, and rightly so. But people in Europe didn’t seem to care much.

    This effort to get rid of Gaddafi is not like the war in Iraq, of questionable motives. It is one of the very few times that war is ethical. It is a good thing to do. It is the right thing to do. The whole of Europe and America is helping a just cause. It is what matters now.

    So thinking that our illegal immigration burden is some sort of leverage is mistaken, to say the least. Our immigration problem has nothing to do with what the West is trying to do at the moment. Staying out of it makes us look like cowards. Cowards pretending that our lives are hard enough without helping out.

    People are fighting for their lives, many are dying, and some are about to be slaughtered, and the Maltese stand up and say: But what about our problems!? What about our security?

    No, the rest of the world won’t buy it. And why should they? Illegal immigration exists in every country. It’s like crime, drug dealing, alcohol abuse: a problem everyone has.

    So now we are getting more immigrants due to the violence in Libya, the country we are not helping to liberate and that thinks there is a good chance that we are on Gaddafi’s side. And are we seriously going to expect help? Do we seriously believe that people care more about our problem with illegal immigrants than they do about their problem with illegal immigrants and Gaddafi? They don’t and they won’t so let’s stop pretending that they will. If they do it will be in the name of getting along with Eu countries, not because they actually believe it.

    Perhaps the rest of the world won’t call us cowards. Perhaps they will carrying on treating us like we don’t even exist because we have never taken the opportunity to stand up and be counted as equals.

    We can’t carry on preserving our artificial everywhere-in-Malta-is-safe-and-peaceful bubble any longer. We have to snap out of it. It will only make it harder for our politicians to mature into proper leaders, as opposed to the bickering playground school children they seem to be. I can’t help but feel that this neutrality business is less about prudence and more about our politicians from both sides of the house being afraid and unable to deal with the international press, and with a situation like this one.

  3. maryanne says:

    Police Commissioner John Rizzo please explain.

  4. Corinne Vella says:

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110330/local/caritas-set-up-libya-refugees-fund

    The aim of this fund is to assist around 18,000 direct beneficiaries.
    Donations may be passed on to all Maltese and Gozitan parish priests or sent directly to Caritas by cheque payable to Caritas Libya Refugees Fund, Caritas Malta, 5, Triq l-Iljun, Floriana FRN 1514.
    Donations may also be deposited in the following accounts:
    APS – 20001040189
    Bank of Valletta – 40019821463
    HSBC – 023 – 167190 – 050.

  5. Reporter says:

    Why do you say that the police cannot be trusted?

    [Daphne – Because I know that through direct experience, several times over.]

  6. Farrugia says:

    It may well be that the Malta is not the neutral state its government claims to be but is working closely with the Libyan regime.

    I believe the police should have been filming the pro-Gadaffi demonstrators and not the other way round, because it is the pro-Gadaffi faction that pose a threat.

    Hasn’t Gadaffi openly threatened to re-start acts of terror and spread his war to the Mediterranean? We have not heard the same statements coming from the interim government in Benghasi. On the contrary, they speak of rule of law and civil rights So whay are their supporters perceived as a threat by Malta?

    Shame on government! Perhaps it is not only the Libyans that need to remove the yoke of repressive government.

  7. yor/malta says:

    Don’t expect expulsions from Malta. The Island has a steel wire rope around its neck. We haven’t even been told what Gaddafi assets have been frozen in Malta.

  8. A. Charles says:

    Shades of dark forces working in collusion with the police and Libyan secret services.

  9. Anthony Farrugia says:

    Shades of “Spooks”. You are completely right in your last paragraph about that tape being leaked to Libyan embassy in Malta or to pro-Gaddafi agents.

  10. PARIS, March 30, 2011 (AFP) – French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe on Wednesday reported the “first defections” from Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi’s entourage, the day after an international conference on the country’s future.

    “On the political level, and this could herald positive developments, the first defections around Kadhafi in Tripoli are being reported,” Juppe said during parliamentary question time, without elaborating.

  11. Interested Bystander says:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaddafi_Stadium

    Maybe Pakistan will welcome the exile.

  12. kev says:

    1. Gaddafi had warned you ‘the Gajda’ are at work:

    US NATO Commander Admits Al-Qaeda Linked To Libyan Rebels – http://www.prisonplanet.com/us-nato-commander-admits-al-qaeda-linked-to-libyan-rebels.html

    2. Daphne’s Boys get Big League coach:

    CIA Operative Appointed to Run al-Qaeda Connected Libyan Rebels – http://www.prisonplanet.com/cia-operative-appointed-to-run-al-qaeda-connected-libyan-rebels.html

    3. Never a good idea:

    In 2009 Gaddafi Proposed Nationalizing Libya’s Oil
    http://www.prisonplanet.com/in-2009-gaddafi-proposed-nationalizing-libya%E2%80%99s-oil.html

    • Grezz says:

      Kevin Ellul Bonici, I seriously think you need to get yourself a hobby. Here’s a suggestion – http://daphnecaruanagalizia.com/2011/02/16/tithajru-nies-stitch-bitch-mal-gwu/

    • Our conspiracy theorist has written in. So let’s deal with them one by one, shall we?

      1. I’m so glad that you’re heeding Muammar’s advice kev. Now while you’re at it, pray tell us how the very article that YOU linked to us here, shows that the rebels are LED by al-Qaeda, as your dear friend has yelled whilst in the epileptc grip of many of his impassioned inane tirades?

      2. Daphne’s boys, eh? Why do you have to be so flippant, kev? Is this how you try to win arguments? Again, however, this is one of those articles which cannot either be proved or disproved. Let’s imagine for a moment that this reprt is based entirely on confirmed fact.

      By now this Hiftar has had all the opportunity to come out. I mean, he’s a lesser charge than say Jibril or Musa Kusa who have defected – and they’re known. He remains completely unknown. And, while we’re at it, let me add this.

      If he spent so much time training in Virginia (I balk at the crassness of the report) he wasn’t much use was he? What broke out in Libya had nothing to do with Hiftar or any his recruits, but it was just libyan youth inspired by events in neighbouring countries that set everything off. This Hiftar of yours, with all that CIA training (what a joke!), seems to have been a rather poor investment given that the rebels remain a rag-tag motley mob of untrained cocky youth, and none of the ‘CIA training’ (let’s not forget, 20 years of it) was transmitted to these brave souls.

      3. This argument about the assault on the Libyan regime being about the is one that is proposed by brain dead individuals bereft of the wherewithall to analyse situations correctly and elegantly. It doesn’t take a Harvard chair or a Newtonian fellow to surmise that had it been about gluttony for oil, troops on the ground would have been there a long time ago. Ah! I hear you cry, kev – The shrewd West is pretending to be forced into this by the suffering Libyans who will then reward the coalition nations with lucrative oil contracts – well if that’s true, they’d be just as opportunistic as you and your lot have been kev, getting paid for being anti-EU by the same establishment you claim to loathe!

      I don’t know why I waste my time with you, kev. You’re utterly hopeless

    • yor/malta says:

      Kev, what’s your point? History is taking shape and some of it won’t be nice, but it will certainly be different, so sit back and watch events unfold. One year from now, come back and we’ll talk.

      • kev says:

        These are alternative news snippets, yor/malta. You take what you will, you connect what you can, you believe what you may. What’s the hassle?

  13. C Falzon says:

    Poll on The Times:
    “Now that military action against Libya has been authorised by the United Nations, should Malta remain neutral?
    Yes 55.1%
    No 25.7%
    Malta should not be used as a base, but should allow access through its airspace. 19.3”

    Very depressing if this poll were representative of Malta’s population. Most probably, and may I add hopefully, it is not.

    Then again the question is quite impossible to answer given the choice of answers and even the loaded question. They should at least have put a ‘None of the above’ box to tick.

    • John says:

      Oh but it is, you will be surprised at how prevalent the “x’ghandna x’naqsmu ahna, x’kull wahda ukoll” mentality is!

  14. Interested Bystander says:

    Look it’s bloody obvious Malta is shit scared of Gaddafi because he is like the bully who terrorises the playground and the Maltese fall for it everytime.

    But look at the map and see how insignificant Malta is and then ask why would he be bothered to attack here?

    It is not that they are afraid of.

    It’s the truth Gaddafi and his mafia family could tell about: sanctions busting, business corruption, bribery, funding of parties, funding in general, links to other nasty surprises etc.

    What will they do when he and his money have disappeared down the crapper?

    They probably quite rightly surmise that regime change will not be in Malta’s best interests.

    Talk about being in denial.

    While Gaddafi sits on his throne, they feel duty bound to protect his supporters and be seen to be against the rebels.

    The UN and the EU don’t mean Jack to the average Maltese.

    When Gaddafi has gone then they will suck up to whoever is in charge to get their loot out of Libya.

    What’s the problem?

    • El Topo says:

      IB, there are two distinct aspects to the bullying. Although some of us feel that we should show a bit more courage, I can understand the Maltese Government being scared of Malta getting beaten up. What most of us on this blog cannot accept is the fear of bullying that’s founded on business interests.

  15. Josephine says:

    Maybe the “secret film” was made by an individual with the intention of selling it off to to the Libyan regime to make a quick buck. And no, I am not joking.

  16. Maria says:

    Whoever profits by the crime is guilty of it.

  17. C.Camilleri says:

    I have noticed the same behaviour at the national stadium and during morning band marches.

  18. Josephine says:

    Joseph Muscat thinks that we should not take sides, but should be a “centre of peace” (excuse me while I throw up). He expects other states to help out with the influx of immigrants, yet states that Malta should/will never be a military base. Is it April Fool yet, by any chance?

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110330/local/we-will-be-a-centre-of-peace-not-a-war-base-joseph-muscat

  19. Ragunament bazwi - the myopia edition says:

    Caritas’ appeal for funds to help refugees receive a traditional and hospitable response – from timesofmalta.com

    http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20110330/local/caritas-set-up-libya-refugees-fund

    Charles Grech
    How about helping locals making ends meet due to hefty utilitiy bills and a high cost of living? Why don’t Caritas revolve on the PN MP’s and ask them to donate their self awarding of 500 Euro weekly cost of living rise? Better still; can’t the JRS sell their property and donate? You are so pathetic you lot!

    C Grima
    I’d rather help the Japanese. Thanks.

    Jo Cassar
    Sorry Caritas. Charity begins at home and we have Maltese people destitute and without a roof on their head.

  20. e-ros says:

    Did you notice how quickly the government came off the proverbial fence? As soon as the boat people started arriving in Malta, off goes Tonio Borg to rouse sympathy and ask for assistance. What a cheek. I wonder what Sarkozy told him in private.

  21. Gaddafi and his supporters do not need some film from the local force to know who each of the protestors in Malta are. They know exactely who each protestor is.

    Some of his spies have been taking pictures and recording images themselves. So anything that can be provided by the Maltese police would be pretty superfluous.

  22. Oops says:

    It’s very uncomfortable to have anybody filming faces. However the embassy is undoubtly well equipped to film a wide radius around its perimeters, and with very good resolution, rendering this policeman’s filming amateurish. So hardly any worries about potential local leaks. In any case local media already did a good job at exposing Libyan faces, sides and opinions. Coincidentally few Maltese know or notice they are filmed or photographed when travelling in Libya.

    [Daphne – Please note that this was on 22 February. None of them had appeared in the media yet, and those who were interviewed that day wished to remain anonymous.]

  23. After receiving news of Koussa’s defection, I have just heard that Gaddafi’s Chief of Intelligence Abd Allah al-Senussi has defected to Tunisia.

  24. Samira Jamil says:

    BBC: A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We can confirm that Moussa Koussa arrived at Farnborough Airport on 30 March from Tunisia. He travelled here under his own free will. He has told us that he is resigning his post. We are discussing this with him and we will release further detail in due course.

    Moussa Koussa, Libya’s Foreign Minister. This must be such a big blow to Gadaffi.

  25. Paul Bonnici says:

    Daphne, you should have taken a photo of this policeman without the camera covering half his face, so that we can have a good look at him.

    [Daphne – As I explained above, the camera never left his face. He didn’t even put it down while telling me that he wasn’t going to move out of my way and that I should speak to his superior. He carried on filming and spoke to me out of the side of his mouth.]

    • Paul Bonnici says:

      They are worse than the KGB! Malta is still a police state.

      • Oops says:

        Ever been to the UK during any demonstration? You will note two to three uniformed or covert camareman filming each and every corner.

        [Daphne – When there is risk of violence, not when there isn’t. It’s the same in Malta. This was a completely different situation. I was there and you presumably were not.]

  26. La Redoute says:

    Missing in Libya

    http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/03/30/libya-least-370-missing-countrys-east

    http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2011/03/13/libya-end-violent-crackdown-tripoli

    “The retreating government forces may have taken their captives with them, both fighters and civilians,” Bouckaert said. “All these people must be treated humanely, and that starts with announcing who has been arrested and where they are being held.”

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