Journalists in Tripoli not allowed to leave their hotel

Published: March 4, 2011 at 11:22am

From BBC World

Al-Arabiya says Libyan officials have banned reporters from leaving their hotel ahead of mass protests. When journalists tried to walk out of the gates of the Rixos hotel, south of the city centre, security guards blocked their way, it reports. A Libyan government spokesman said journalists were being kept inside because their presence could trigger violence by “al-Qaeda affiliates”. “These are exceptional circumstances. I know you’re going to talk about it and twist it the way you want,” said the spokesman, Moussa Ibrahim. “We are preparing to pay this price of preventing you guys from reporting to avoid turning Tripoli into Baghdad.”

Reuters reports that about 130 foreign journalists are being stopped by the Libyan authorities from leaving the Rixos hotel in Tripoli. Overnight, gunfire could be heard outside the building, it says. Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said the shots were an attempt by the rebels to destabilise the capital. Many locals say they are planning to protest against Col Gaddafi when they leave their mosques after Friday prayers. Armed pro-Gaddafi militiamen are reportedly patrolling the streets in anticipation.




9 Comments Comment

  1. gorg says:
    March 4, 2011 at 11:52 am

    As Daffy Duck

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7TPhaClESk

    Reply
  2. Samira Jamil says:
    March 4, 2011 at 12:28 pm

    Not surprising at all. Today has been billed ‘The Friday of Liberation’. I am expecting a lot of bloodshed. I hope I am proved wrong.

    Reply
  3. red nose says:
    March 4, 2011 at 12:43 pm

    I still cannot understand this delay in going in for him

    Reply
  4. ciccio2011 says:
    March 4, 2011 at 1:29 pm

    The Gaddafi regime will want us to believe that those journalists are mere terrorists sent over by AlQaeda, with the help of the US, ready to explode themselves in pro-Gaddafi demonstrations.

    Reply
  5. TROY says:
    March 4, 2011 at 2:06 pm

    Saif al Gaddafi was only just yesterday telling Lisa Holland that she can go wherever she wanted to, without any restrictions.

    Reply
  6. e. muscat says:
    March 4, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    Were there any Maltese journalists at the Rixos hotel?

    [Daphne – No, because the press visit from Malta was cancelled. The Libyan ambassador announced this some days ago.]

    Reply
  7. John Schembri says:
    March 4, 2011 at 7:42 pm

    Obviously Gaddafi is protecting the journalists from Al-Qaida bullets.

    Reply

Leave a Comment