Protests against the government of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in Tripoli and other cities have left hundreds dead at the hands of the security forces, witnesses and human rights groups have said.
"With regard to this phenomenon that is terrorising citizens, halting commerce, frightening merchants and consumers,
and threatens to cut civilian services such as health and education, some youths and adults obtained weapons by robbing army storehouses," the statement read out on Libyan state television said.
"They are criminals."
"The ... (military command) was given the task of supporting public security forces with military forces in order to purge the country of these terrorist gangs."
"What is happening in Libya is just a group of youths who were exploited by other people belonging to foreign circles, al Qaeda and other suspicious circles." (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
