Libyan Pilots Return Home

On Sunday two Libyan air force fighter pilots who had defected under Muammar Qaddafi’s regime returned to the capital Tripoli.

The duo defected in February after they were ordered to bomb civilians who were protesting against the regime in the country’s second largest city Benghazi.

Crowds greeted them at Maqeta airport, formerly an airbase, where colleagues offered warm embraces and gifts upon their return from Malta where they had gone after defecting.

Maltese police questioned both Rabiti and his co-pilot on their arrival in Malta in February, as well as seven passengers who arrived on board two French-registered helicopters.

According to government sources the helicopters departed from Libya without authorization by the Libyan aviation authorities and that only one of the seven passengers onboard who claim they are French citizens held a passport.


Colonel Ali al-Rabiti told journalists they had received instructions to kill people after their plane was loaded with missiles by a Libyan commander loyal to Qaddafi.

"He told me exactly after we loaded the plane that the missiles we had were not prepared for people, that they were prepared for tanks and buildings. He told me that we should strike people and let them die. I told him 'OK' and took the information. And when I got to the plane we started the engine and we took off to the north - to the island of Malta - and we flew very low, around 70 metres and the speed was 450 kilometres per hour and we arrived in Malta," al-Rabiti told journalists after arriving in Tripoli.

Rabiti told reporters that he was determined to serve his job of defending his nation in a peaceful manner.


Speaker:
Colonel Ali al-Rabiti

Voice:
Mustapha Ajbaili