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Tuesday, November 9, 2010     INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

Libyan journalists arrested as Ghadafi brothers battle for power

CAIRO — Libya has arrested journalists as part of a crackdown on dissent.

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Libyan sources said at least 10 journalists have been detained in early November. They said the arrests targeted reporters who worked for a news agency controlled by the son of Libyan leader Moammar Ghadafi.

"For the second day in a row the Libyan authorities are holding 10 journalists belonging to the office of Libya Press in Tripoli, without giving any reasons for such detention," the Libya Press news agency said.


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Other Libyan sources said 19 people have been arrested in the regime crackdown. They said the arrests appeared to reflect a power struggle between the two sons of the aging Ghadafi.

Libya Press was part of a media group founded by Ghadafi's son, Seif Al Islam. Seif, who has called for reform, has been opposed by his younger brother, Motassim, said to control the security services.

"This [arrests] was carried out by the Internal Security Agency on Nov. 5, violating the law on the promotion of freedom and all international norms and conventions signed by Libya," Libya Press said on Nov. 7.

Seif and his media outlets, called the Al Ghad Group, have become increasingly critical of the regime, particularly Prime Minister Al Baghdadi Ali Al Mahmoudi. One of Seif's newspapers has called for a "final assault" on what was termed a corrupt government.

"There is no state in Libya," Seif said in September 2010.

The elder Ghadafi has not responded to the crackdown. But Al Mahmoudi was said to have warned Libya's media not to join in the criticism of the regime.

The regime has also ordered the expulsion of a U.S. diplomat. Libyan newspapers identified the diplomat as Luke Reynolds, the political attache of the U.S. embassy in Tripoli. Reynolds was said to have visited the Berber city of Yifrin, the scene of recent unrest.



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