Gaddafi ‘arch-democrat’ of a dictator, says former PM who saved his life

Former prime minister Karmenu Mifsud Bonnici, who had personally alerted Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gaddafi of incoming USAF fighter jets passing over Maltese airspace in 1986, has described him as an “arch-democrat of a dictator” and claimed Malta is an accomplice in military transgression against Libya.

Malta has ruled out hosting a military base for the enforcement of the United Nations’ Security Council’s no-fly zone for Libya. But the former Labour leader, who today fronts the anti-EU movement Campaign for National Independence, said Malta’s air traffic control was “participating in military traffic” by giving the multinational forces bombing Libya passage through the island’s airspace.

“When Malta refused a request to mediate between Libya and the European Union, it had gone against its obligation to safeguard peace in the countries close to it,” Mifsud Bonnici said.

Last Thursday, Maltese Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi insisted that for the ceasefire to be credible, government must ensure the laying down of all weapons and withdrawal of all military hardware.

“The call on the Prime Minister came from the the side which is accused of not wanting to stop the fighting,” Mifsud Bonnici said. “The presence of Malta in Libya would have safeguarded the life of the Libyans.”

Mifsud Bonnici claimed “it is in Gonzi’s interest not to see with his eyes and hear with his ears” the situation in Libya. He also accused Malta of being an accomplice in the military action taken against Libya.

Mifsud Bonnici said for the military planes to pass over, Malta’s air traffic control must make contact with the planes.

“This means the air traffic control is offering military facility,” he said, adding this was wrong in light of Malta’s Constitution.

Mifsud Bonnici read out Malta’s Constitution, in which is written that “no foreign military base will permitted on Maltese territory” and “no military facilities in Malta will be allowed to be used by any foreign forces except at the request of the Government of Malta”.

He added that Malta has made no such request.

Mifsud Bonnici said Malta should disassociate itself from the UN and the European Union and insist that fighting is not what Malta wants. He said government should send a group of observers in Libya and monitor the ceasefire, since the Libyan government and the opposition were not agreeing on the situation.

Mifsud Bonnici also criticised the United Nations-mandated no-fly zone over Libya.

“When the Arab League had agreed for the UN mandated no-fly zone, the aim of the resolution was to call on all necessary measures to protect civilians. But the West is using this pretext to attack the whole of Libya and not just the troops,” he said.

“A no-fly zone means that no aircraft can fly over a designated area. But this UN decision has only blocked Libyan aircraft of flying over, whereas the US, the UK and France are flying their own over the same no-fly zone.”

Asked how would a no-fly zone really guarantee no flying of Libyan aircraft, Mifsud Bonnici said missiles from land or sea should be fired any time they see Libyan aircrafts flying over.

Describing it as the “UN's naked aggression”, Mifsud Bonnici accused the UN of double standards and hypocrisy. He said that whilst the UN had not attacked Gaza and Palestine despite all the fighting going on, it had acted in a different way with Libya.

This, he said, was the result of the economic and commercial interests that the West has in Libya, especially the money produced by the arms business.

Asked what the UN should have done, Mifsud Bonnici said it should have respected the no-fly zone resolution in its real meaning and reiterated that no one should ever intrude in a country's internal affairs.

Mifsud Bonnici also decried the stand taken by the UN as "false", claiming the UK, the US and France were responsible for the attacks. “But if Cameron, Sarkozy and Obama are responsible, this makes Malta an accomplice,” he said, adding that Gonzi was at fault for helping them.

Mifsud Bonnici said half of the humaitarian aid carried so far from Malta was of a military nature. “With the SAS and American Delta present in Malta, the evacuations were an excuse for other aim,” he said

On arriving in Libya, the rebels themselves had seized plastic explosives from the SAS, Mifsud Bonnici said.

Mifsud Bonnici added Malta’s strategic position should not be used for war, but should be seen as strategic for the peace in the Mediterranean.

Answering to questions by journalists, Mifsud Bonnici said Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi should not be investigated by the International Criminal Court, if  Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy, Tony Blair and George Bush are not investigated by the same court, charged for war crimes.