AJE - Libyan Interior Minister defects

[brooklynite]

Source: Al-Jazeera

10:04pm: "Gaddafi's No.2" Abdul Fatah Younis, Libyan minister of interior and army general - resigns. More to come.

10.11pm: Libya's defected interior minister has urged the Libyan army to join the people and respond to their "legitimate demands" echoing the language used by defecting Egyptian military leaders before the fall of president Hosni Mubarak.

Read more: http://blogs.aljazeera.net/africa/2011/02/22/live-blog-libya-feb-22

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If Gaddafi has lost control on the security apparatus, I think we're talking hours instead of days.

On the other hand, Younis may be thinking of dumping Gaddafi as a lost cause, and trying to grab power himself when things calm down.

[brooklynite]

1. Update - Interior Minister being interviewed

11.13pm: Former Gaddafi No.2, Abdul Fatah Younis being interviewed on Al Arabiya. Here's a rough translation of some of his comments, provided by @SultanAlQassemi:

11:20pm: Younis adds: "Gaddafi's speech was very clear to any one who has a brain. He is nervous, he is stubborn. He may commit suicide. Gaddafi won't leave. He may commit suicide or will be killed. I didn't wish for him to face such an end."

"Committing suicide" would certainly avoid any unpleasant discussions about where the money's hidden...

[David__77]

2. I'm skeptical.

Clearly, this is an attempted coup by a faction inside the existing government, with the coordinated "defections," etc. I'm not so sure it can hold up though. The security services are not necessarily going to oppose Gaddafi. In fact, they may be his biggest supporters. The people's congresses do have grass roots strength organizing long-time Gaddafi supporters. If the opposition is painted as pro-Western, then they won't succeed.

[DLnyc]

3. Libyan interior minister defects

Source: xinhuanet

TRIPOLI, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Interior Minister Abdel- Fattah Younes al-Abidi announced his defection and support for the "Feb. 17 revolution", Al-Jazeera TV reported Tuesday.

He also urged the Libyan army to join the people and their " legitimate demands".

Inspired by streets-born uprisings which swept Tunisia and Egypt and forced their leaders to step down, thousands of Libyans have started a string of protests against leader Muammar Gaddafi, in power for 42 years.

With more bodies found in the capital Tripoli, opposition groups and Al-Arabiya TV said more than 500 have been killed and around 1,400 people are still missing since the unrest began in the North African country.

Read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-02/23/c_13744574.htm

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Weak source, maybe, but was shown in video on Aljazeera (English)

In the video, he made very clear he is calling for the army to join the opposition.

Seems like a pretty big deal to me.

[Turborama]

4. CNN Int.: Interior minister resigns rather than carry out Gadhafi orders

By the CNN Wire Staff
February 23, 2011 -- Updated 01:32 GMT

Tobruk, Libya (CNN) -- Libya's interior minister said Wednesday he has quit the government and is supporting the protesters, who he predicted will achieve victory in "days or hours."

Ex-Interior Minister Abdul Fattah Younis al Abidi told CNN that he resigned Monday after hearing that some 300 unarmed civilians had been killed in Benghazi during the prior two to three days. He accused Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi of planning to attack civilians on a wide scale.

"Gadhafi told me he was planning on using airplanes against the people in Benghazi, and I told him that he will have thousands of people killed if he does that," Abidi said in an Arabic-language telephone interview conducted Wednesday.

Abidi said he now supports the people and the revolution.

Full article: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/22/libya.protests/?hpt=Sbin