TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen last night approved immediate deployment of two Air Corps aircraft to Malta to stand by for a possible airlift evacuation of Irish citizens from Tripoli today.
The decision followed increasing concern over the safety of Irish citizens in Libya stemming from the latest assessment of the deteriorating political situation there.
The Air Corps Learjet left Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, at 8.40 last night with an Air Corps CASA aircraft due to leave shortly afterwards. Both aircraft will fly to Valletta, Malta, from where they will remain on standby to fly to Tripoli for evacuations if required. The possible evacuation depends on whether conditions allow for Irish people in the country to travel to the airport in the capital amid a rapidly changing situation.
There are about 46 Irish citizens in Libya, including about 10 in the eastern city of Benghazi, where clashes between regime forces and protesters have been most pronounced. The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was continuing to issue advice to Irish nationals on arrangements for evacuation.
These are being co-ordinated by the Irish Ambassador in Rome, Pat Hennessy, who is accredited to Libya. Eight Irish people left Libya yesterday on flights bound for Malta and Istanbul.
Libyan leader Muammar Gadafy yesterday vowed to fight until the last drop of his blood as his regime lost control of the eastern half of the country and the popular uprising took root in the west. Speaking on national television he seethed with anger, and banged the podium outside one of his residences, which was blasted and battered by US bombers in 1986. “Muammar Gadafy has no official position to resign. He is the leader of the revolution forever,” he said. “I am not going to leave this land. I will die here as a martyr . . . This is my country, my country.” He said the uprising was “serving the devil” and called those taking part “rats”, “cowards and traitors”. He called on countrymen who “love Muammar Gadafy” to “come out of your homes [and] attack them in their dens. Get your children off the streets.
“They are drugging your children, they are making your children drunk and sending them to hell,” he said. He threatened to “cleanse Libya house by house” if the protesters did not surrender and warned that the country could erupt into civil war or fall under US occupation.
The UN Security Council last night condemned the use of violence in Libya and called for those responsible for attacks on civilians to be held to account. The call came after a day of debate on the clashes.