LIBYA/FILE: One of the pilots who defected with his aircraft to the rebels early on in the Libyan uprising against Muammar Gaddafi gives his account of what happened that day

Record ID: 510609

  • Title: LIBYA/FILE: One of the pilots who defected with his aircraft to the rebels early on in the Libyan uprising against Muammar Gaddafi gives his account of what happened that day
  • Date: 5th December 2011
  • Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (FILE - SEPTEMBER 18, 2011) (REUTERS) (PART MUTE) CROWDS WAITING AT MATEQA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SIGN READING IN ARABIC "MATEQA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT" PLANE ARRIVING FROM MALTA CROWDS MAKING PEACE SIGNS AS PLANE ARRIVES CLOSE-UP OF PEACE SIGNS MORE OF PLANE ARRIVING / PROPELLERS OF PLANE SPINNING FIRST PILOT DISEMBARKING FROM PLANE, FOLLOWED BY SECOND
  • Embargoed: 20th December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Malta, Libya
  • City:
  • Country: Libya Malta
  • Topics: Conflict,Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA1MDBL0TEKJYNMSZV8URWGLBC5
  • Story Text: One of Libya's most famous defectors on Sunday (December 4) explained exactly what happened on the day he betrayed former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
    Speaking at the science faculty at Tripoli University, former air force pilot Ali al-Rabiti explained his decision to defy Gaddafi's plans to conduct airstrikes on the city of Benghazi, the headquarters of the National Transitional Council during the revolution.
    "I was one of the pilots of the Mirage aircraft. We received orders from the tyrant to prepare three aircraft to go to Sirte in Elgordabia airport and then pump [attack] Benghazi because it was nearly liberated from the start of the revolution," he said.
    Al-Rabiti received a hero's welcome in September when he returned to Libya from Malta, where he and his colleague had decided to take their aircraft directly after taking off.
    "We were told to prepare each Mirage aircraft with 72 air-to-surface rockets and 240 33mm heavy machine gun bullets, at eight in the morning on February 21. I met my colleague in a separate room and we then decided to refuse the orders directly after taking off from Okba Elwetia airport and heading north towards the sea and to Malta island," he said.
    After landing in Malta the pilots informed authorities in Malta of their orders to bomb protesters in Benghazi.
    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 Muammar Gaddafi.
    Rabiti and his co-pilot were questioned by Maltese police when they arrived in February, along with seven passengers who arrived on board two French-registered helicopters.
    The government sources said the helicopters left Libya without authorisation by the Libyan aviation authorities and that only one of the seven passengers -- who say they are French citizens -- had a passport
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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