Government 'confirms' former Gaddafi minister has escaped to Malta

Contacted, Tonio Borg said that the "Maltese government immediately granted humanitarian protection to Shatwan, given that he was fleeing a dangerous situation in Misurata."

"We immediately granted him protection and he is now a private citizen in Malta," the Foreign Minister said.

MaltaToday is informed that Shatwan was assisted by a former Maltese minister.

A report by the Associated Press last night said that Shatwan – former chairman of the joint Libya-Malta Commission – told the agency that a number of Gaddafi’s “inner-circle” are under siege and want to defect as soon as they have the opportunity.

Former Libyan energy minister Omar Fathi bin Shatwan, who also served as Libya's industry minister, has fled by fishing boat to Malta from the western Libyan city of Misrata, the Associated Press is reporting.

"Those whose families are outside Libya will flee if they get a chance," Shatwan said in a telephone interview. "But many can't leave, and all the families of ministers are under siege," he told AP.

Shatwan said he spent 40 days bunkered in  his home in Misrata before escaping from Libya, and also witnessed Gaddafi's forces pounding the city with heavy artillery and relentlessly shooting civilians.

"There has been a big bombardment and there is total destruction," Shatwan said. "After this, they occupied some streets with tanks, and put snipers in the buildings."

"I think the regime is just going mad," he said. "Col. Gaddafi has changed. No one would kill people in the streets in this way. Not even Hitler did that."

He estimated at least 1,500 people are dead or wounded in Misrata, but said it is almost impossible to know the exact figure as many people are missing.

The urged NATO to step up its military campaign.