Libya outraged at NYT article on plan to kill Saudi ruler

[rawstory]

Found on the liberal alternative to Drudge, http://www.rawstory.com

Tripoli denies Kadhafi planned to kill Saudi ruler
MIDDLE EAST ONLINE

TRIPOLI - Libya's foreign minister denied Thursday a report in The New York Times that the country's leader, Moamer Kadhafi, last year planned to have the crown prince of Saudi Arabia assassinated.

"I insist on stating officially that this article is without foundation, that Libya has committed no such act and that it is firmly engaged in the fight against terrorism," Abdel Rahman Shalgam said.

The alleged murder plot, involving firing rockets at Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz' motorcade, is being investigated by the United States, Saudi Arabia and Britain, people with knowledge of the case told the daily.

Shalgam said "those who spread such stories are elements hostile to Libya" who "want to poison our relations with Saudi Arabia," adding that those relations are "good and normal."

If the alleged conspiracy turns out to be true it could undermine Kadhafi's efforts to clean up his image and his public pledges that his government has renounced terrorism.

A senior Bush administration official told the daily that the emergence of convincing evidence that Kadhafi ordered or condoned an assassination and terror campaign could cause a "180 degree" change of American policy toward Libya.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=10252

[PATRICK]

1. More to the point

was that after the odd "reconciliation" and coming clean about nuclear pretensions, Libya said "oops, we think some nuke material we ordered is lost."

Now they have a pretext to put them back on the blame list should that stuff turn up before elections.

A lot of strange discoveries about Libya this year. I think they want to deflect like they skillfully did with Lockerbie, but they are panicked because the consequences this time, convenient too as they are for Bush in an election year, will be total.

[bemildred]

2. Silly fools. Assassination is reserved for the Empire and its tools. nt

[amber dog democrat]

3. Why not invade Libya ?

They have oil too.

[geek tragedy]

4. So, is it ok to hate the good Colonel again?

I get confused--probably from paying attention to what the administration says.

[dArKeR]

5. Tripoli denies claim Kadhafi conspired to murder Saudi crown prince

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20040610/pl_afp/us_libya_saudi_kadhafi_040610142140

[Zynx]

6. Good.

That Saudi pig is worse than the Colonel. By far. We probably should actually support this idea.