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Muslim Brotherhood Urges Support for Libyan Protesters

   Peter Clottey  February 22, 2011

Photo: Associated Press

   Libyans  who live in Greece remove the Libyan flag from a Libyan state
   school as another shouts slogans and holds the old flag of his country
   during  a  protest in Athens, Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011. About 60 Libyans
   gathered  at  the  protest  against  Gadhafi's  crackdown  on peaceful
   protesters in Libya.(AP Photo)

   A  prominent  member  of the Egypt-based Muslim Brotherhoodâs Guidance
   Council  has called on anti-government protesters to be, in his words,
   defiant  and  keep  up the pressure on embattled Libyan leader Moammar
   Gadhafi, adding there is need to get rid of the âmad dictator.â

   Esam  Alarian,  spokesman  for  the  Muslim  Brotherhood, told VOA the
   international  community  should  support  the ongoing ârevolutionâ in
   Libya  to  bring  about what he described as democracy and freedom for
   all Libyans.

   âWe  ask  that the Libyan people (should) continue in their revolution
   to  expel this dictator and that (they) should sacrifice and they will
   have  the  victory and win. And also, we appeal to all free men in all
   places  in  the  world  to  be on the side of, and support, the Libyan
   people,â said Alarian.

   âWe  ask  the  Arab league and the Egyptian government and the army to
   give  support  and also give aid to the Libyan people. We also ask the
   authorities  in Egypt to make their best effort to bring the Egyptians
   there safety and to allow humanitarian aid to reach them.â

   This  came  after  Mr.  Gadhafi  said  in a state television broadcast
   Tuesday that anti-government protests will not force him out, and that
   he  expects  to  die  a  âmartyrâ  in  that country. He also urged his
   supporters  to  help defend Libya against people he called âgangsâ and
   âterrorists.â

   Clenching  a  green  book that appeared to be a guide to his political
   philosophy,  he  threatened  the death penalty for anyone who takes up
   arms against Libya or engages in espionage.

   Alarian  called  on  the Arab League and Egyptâs interim government to
   support   the   anti-government   protesters.  He  denied  the  Muslim
   Brotherhood wants an Islamic state in Libya.

   âThat  is  a  madman (Mr. Gadhafi); he is insane. Moammar Gadhafi does
   not know what he (is) speaking about. All Libyan people are protesting
   and having a revolution against him (and) he is saying the same things
   that  (former)  Presidents  Mubarak and Ben Ali to accuse and (peddle)
   rumors  that  they  are  being  threatened  by  Islamists  and  Muslim
   Brotherhood,â said Alarian.

   âThis  is,  of  course,  false  and  itâs just an allegation. Now, the
   people  have  the  power  to  expel  those  dictators  from  power. We
   encourage  them  (protesters)  to  be brave and stand firm against the
   dictator and the victory will be for them.â

   Also  Tuesday,  one  of  Mr.  Gadhafi's  closest  associates, Interior
   Minister  Abdel Fattah Younis, announced his defection and support for
   the so-called âFebruary 17^th revolution.â
   Other  senior  level  Libyan officials, including ministers, diplomats
   and  military  officers, have abandoned the regime and announced their
   support for the rebellion.

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