UK journalists 'were spying on Libya'
Source: Agencies |
March 6, 2012, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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TWO British journalists working for Iran's Press TV who were detained late last month in Libya are suspected of being spies, said the head of the militia which is holding them.
Faraj al-Swelhi, commander of the Swelhi brigade, told a press conference on Sunday they had found among the journalists' possessions official Libyan documents, equipment used by the Israeli military and footage of them firing weapons.
"We believe they are spies," Swelhi said in Tripoli. He said it was too early to say what country they were spying for, but that this would be established by their investigation.
"After we have finished the investigation we are going to transfer them to the state authorities to pursue the legal process against them."
The two have been named as Nicholas Davies and Gareth Montgomery-Johnson. They were arrested on February 22 in Misrata, about 200 km east of the capital. They are now being held in a Swelhi brigade base in central Tripoli. The commander said the two did not have Libyan entry visas in their passports.
He showed a grey plastic packet containing a field dressing with the words "Made in Israel," on it, which he said had been found on the two journalists. "These are used by the Israeli military," said Swelhi.
He said they had Libyan documents listing members of a Tripoli militia killed in a clash with a rival group late last year, and lists of sub-Saharan African mercenaries who fought for Moammar Gadhafi.
Swelhi showed footage he said had been recovered from the two Britons where they could be seen test-firing a gun.
He said they were being well treated, and had been visited by British consular officials and representatives from New York-based Human Rights Watch.
Faraj al-Swelhi, commander of the Swelhi brigade, told a press conference on Sunday they had found among the journalists' possessions official Libyan documents, equipment used by the Israeli military and footage of them firing weapons.
"We believe they are spies," Swelhi said in Tripoli. He said it was too early to say what country they were spying for, but that this would be established by their investigation.
"After we have finished the investigation we are going to transfer them to the state authorities to pursue the legal process against them."
The two have been named as Nicholas Davies and Gareth Montgomery-Johnson. They were arrested on February 22 in Misrata, about 200 km east of the capital. They are now being held in a Swelhi brigade base in central Tripoli. The commander said the two did not have Libyan entry visas in their passports.
He showed a grey plastic packet containing a field dressing with the words "Made in Israel," on it, which he said had been found on the two journalists. "These are used by the Israeli military," said Swelhi.
He said they had Libyan documents listing members of a Tripoli militia killed in a clash with a rival group late last year, and lists of sub-Saharan African mercenaries who fought for Moammar Gadhafi.
Swelhi showed footage he said had been recovered from the two Britons where they could be seen test-firing a gun.
He said they were being well treated, and had been visited by British consular officials and representatives from New York-based Human Rights Watch.
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