23/08/2011 World News Today

This is BBC World News Today with me, Philippa Thomas. The battle for

Tripoli intensifies. Opposition fighters storm into Colonel

Gaddafi's compound. Scenes of rebel jubilation as they control the

compound. They believe it is the end of decades of dictatorship.

the rebels they are there in his front door. They are there shouting

Allah is great. There is no sign of the Libyan leader and his sons, but

NATO says it is clear that Colonel Gaddafi will soon be history.

the Gaddafi regime this is the final chapter. The end is near. And

events are moving fast. But hours earlier one of Colonel

Gaddafi's sons, Saif al-Islam, appeared before cheering supporters,

saying his father was safe and Hello and welcome.

The battle for Tripoli rages on. There have been scenes of rejoicing

in the past few hours as opposition fighters have taken control of

Colonel Gaddafi's compound, his power base in the heart of the

capital, and destroyed much-hated symbols of Gaddafi's regime. We are

going to bring you right up to date now. My colleague, Lyse Doucet, has

reached Tripoli. Over to her. Welcome to the Libyan capital,

Tripoli. I'm deuce deuce duties. We are here on a day when after more

than six months of bloody battle across this country, the battle for

the capital, Tripoli, the prize, has taken a decisive turn. The

rebels have now overrun the Bab Al- Aziziya compound. It means the

Arabic, the Splendid Gate. The compound sprawls for miles across

this capital. It seems the compound was impregnable and yet the rebels

took it, with little resistance. It began earlier today when rebels in

pick-up trucks bristling with guns streamed into the capital. They

breached one of the walls and within a matter of time they were

inside. Ever since then, this capital has resonated to the sound

of celebrity fire. When we drove into the capital a short time ago,

there were celebrations all along the road. The battle may not be

over yet. Libyans say they can't truly celebrate until they know

where is Colonel Gaddafi, the man who has ruled this country 41 years.

Only a few more years to go before he would have reached 42 years.

Where are his sons, including Saif al-Islam? These are still questions

that have to be answered. Today was a decisive victory for the rebels.

My colleague, Rupert Wingfield- Hayes, now reports. GUNFIRE

This is the moment millions of Libyans have been waiting for

through six months of bitter fighting and 42 years of brutal

dictatorship. The Libyan leader's skpound has been smashed to pieces

by NATO bombing but the rebels found plenty to take their anger

out on. Earlier this afternoon they had swarmed around the compound

walls as NATO jets swept in and pounded it again from above. But

with his compound now in rebel hands, there is still no sign of

Colonel Gaddafi himself. We watched as the Brigade set out from western

Tripoli at lunch time. After yesterday's set-backs their spirits

are once again high. They believe the end is close. The rebel flag is

now flying over more and more neighbourhoods of Tripoli. Bit by

bit the rebels are taking control. So this is what we've been finding

as we've driven into the western part of Tripoli this morning. These

men have formed themselves into a local militia. They all come from

this neighbourhood. They know each other. They've armed themselves.

They are setting is up checkpoints to defend their neighbourhoods from

Gaddafi's militia. Last night they killed a Gaddafi gunman in this car.

Last Then he taunts Saif al-Islam to come to this neighbourhood.

here shoot a man. I swear to God we die soon. After months of fear

people are coming back out on to the streets here, including this

British woman out driving for the first time in weeks. And yet

there's been heavy fighting in the middle of the city. And I'm sure

there will be, because his hard- liners are there, who will die for

him. Everyone is in their houses waiting to come out. Really, we are

celebrating indoors. It is frustrating. It is bad news about

Saif al-Islam, but believe me the Libyan people are 90% with the

opposition. Even military officers have joined the rebellion,

disgusted at being ordered to attack civilians. How long do you

think it will take before he is defeated? Maybe two nights, maximum

two days. It has been a long, hard and bloody road for these rebels

over the last six months. They are now all desperate for this bloody

conflict to be over. It is too soon to say this war is

over. You will remember the ecstatic scenes in some parts of

Tripoli on Sunday night when rebels came into the capital declaring

victory. There were reports at the time that Saif al-Islam, Colonel

Gaddafi's son, widely regarded as his heir apparent, had been

arrested and would soon be handed over to the International Criminal

Court. My colleague Matthew Price was indeed surprised when he ran

into Saif al-Islam yesterday at the Rixos Hotel, not far from the Bab

Al-Aziziya, yesterday. In the dark of the Tripoli night,

Saif al-Islam emerged from the shadows, clearly not under rebel

arrest and here, he said, to dismiss the rumours. TRANSLATION:

NATO and the West has high- technology. They stopped TV

broadcasting and radio. They have launched electronic warfare, and

through media they have managed to smugle into the country gangs and

somebody tours. But the Libyan people, men and women, has stood

firm against them and managed to break the backbone of the rebels

and rats and gangs. GUNFIRE He took a foreign cameraman on a

tour of part of the city. They drove past checkpoints controlled

by Gaddafi loyalists, passed groups of people lining up to be given

weapons. It was a short drive, but covered a sizeable area around

Colonel Gaddafi's compound and the south-eastern part of the Tripoli.

Clearly these are in Government hands. It is our country. It is our

people. We live here and we die here. We are going to win, because

the people are with us. Saif al- Islam's convoy has just left here.

Away from our camera he told us that he - supporters of Colonel

Gaddafi coming in. He told us they had broken the backbone of the

rebels. We gave them a hard time so we are wing, he said. Asked about

his father, Colonel Gaddafi, is he safe and well and in Tripoli, he

said, "Yes, of course." Saif al- Islam was pumped full of adrenaline

and was smiling. It is clear loyalists are fighting back in

parts of Tripoli. The sudden appearance of Saif al-Islam said

just yesterday to have been captured by the rebls will only

embolden them further. -- rebels.

Parts of Tripoli exploded in celebration with the celebrity

gunfire. This area is now plunged into darkness. In other parts of

the city we can see the lights are still on. What are residents of

this city thinking now? You will know from our coverage over the

past months that our correspondents have seen the demonstrations in

support of this. What is the future for this truly divided city? James

Robbins supports. The battle for Tripoli remains intense. As rebels

try to push Gaddafi's forces into smaller and smaller pockets of the

capital. As long as the battle rages civilians are still at grave

risk. We've been hearing from a section of this front line, where

Karen Graham, a nurse from done Barton, is part of a nursing team

overwhelmed by casualties. It is From a variety of credible sources

it seems that large and expanding parts of the capital are in rebel

hands, although not necessarily entirely secure. These are some of

the areas where Gaddafi has lost control since last Sunday. But

tonight the big breakthrough for the rebels. They stormed gad

aftery's fortified compound close to the Rixos Hotel, where some

foreign journalists are based and where Saif al-Islam appeared last

night. You can see the outer wall now breached by the rebels, who

have overrun the entire area. In one corner a substantial military

installation hit by NATO missiles weeks ago. And at the centre the

area used for scores of Gaddafi rallies over the years, where

rebels have been pulling down Gaddafi's statues. The symbolism of

this compound is immense, so taking it has great significance. The

rebels also seem to have entered one of Tripoli's airports. This

footage can't be verified. It is a possible escape route for Colonel

Gaddafi, whose whereabouts are still unknown. NATO is clear the

tide against him has overwhelmingly turned. For the Gaddafi regime this

is the time chapter, the end is near and events are moving fast.

What's clear to everybody is that Gaddafi is history and the sooner

he realises it the better. battle for Tripoli is still not

over, which means the rebels cannot yet move their headquarters from

the eastern city of Benghazi and start rebuilding Libya on new-

foundations. We are getting reports that tonight

the National Transitional Council in Benghazi is even planning to

come to Tripoli as early as tomorrow to start setting up a new

administration. They've said that before. We'll have to see what the

city looks like tomorrow in the broad light of day. But certainly

the big question is, who will run Libya now, and how will it be run?

After decades of Colonel Gaddafi's green revolution, where he

basically did away with all the institutions of a normal

functioning state and ruled through his popular revolutionary committee.

Who are these rebel leaders and what new ideas will they bring to

this country? Paul Wood reports from the eastern city of Benghazi,

the stronghold of the rebels and their headquarters.

They are students, businessmen, teachers. Most holding a gun for

the first time. They rose up with no outside help. And they would

have been crushed but for NATO's help. Now the rebels stand on the

brink of victory. Already recognised by many as Libya's elect

mat Government. Are they united? The rebels National Transitional

Council is a mix of factions, with little more in common than dislike

of Colonel Gaddafi. It is an uneasy coalition, between the east and the

west of the country, Islamist and secular, former members of the

regime and long-standing exiles. That's going to be a potpourri of

different ideas and ideologies. If they all work within a constitution

everyone is free to have their own thoughts and say what they think.

So will the rebels succeed? First they need to remove Gaddafi and

their credibility was badly dented when his son, Saif al-Islam,

appeared in Tripoli. The rebels had said he was in custody. But even if

Saif al-Islam and his father are sent to The Hague a new Government

will need many of those who fought for them. We've learned experience

from the eastern side in Benghazi, where the police and the security

people left their jobs and we had a problem to bring them back. No, in

Tripoli we will not do that. They are a measured part of rebuilding

the security infrastructure. rebel political leadership have

said there can be no revenge killings of Gaddafi loyalists. They

would risk losing the support of NATO countries who had got them

this far, and undermine the legitimacy of the new Government.

So no single, forceful and charismatic political personality

has emerged, somebody who can perhaps heal the divisions. But

after more than four decades of rule by Colonel Gaddafi, Libyans

may feel another strongman is exactly what they don't want.

The rebels insist the changeover of power will happen within the rule

of law. There can be no blood bath in Tripoli. The character of the

Libyan revolution will be tested and revealed in the coming days.

Paul Wood joins us from Benghazi. We are hearing reports here that

the National Transitional Council could try to come here as early as

That was always the original plan. The intention is that symbolically,

they want the country to beat United in the bold capital. They

always underlined the fact that they are making temporary camp in

Benghazi, but want to get to Tripoli as quickly as possible.

When we say the council will be coming, who does that mean?

head of the council is out of Libya at the moment. They have been

preparing for this moment for a long time. They have been talking

to experts from countries like Britain. When they have achieved

victory, I think the immediate task will be to stop those revenge

killings. That is such a priority for the head of the National

Transitional Council that he has threatened to resign if his

military commanders do not followed through with that. They have a

special unit, which is moving in with the specific task of securing

a infrastructures and government buildings, making sure Tripoli does

not undergo the same disorder that Baghdad had in 2003. That will

undermine the legitimacy of any new government. I imagine there will be

much more cautious end up their reporting. There were embarrassing

reports that they had captured Saif Al-Islam, for example. I put that

to a spokesman, and he said the credibility of the National

Transitional Council had been dented. They all felt very bad

about it. The explanation is torturers: There were agents

wearing rebel uniforms, and they have given out misinformation on

behalf of the loyalists. That is the explanation they are sticking

with today. It does not bear sceptical inquiry, and they

realised this has been a bad blow to their credibility. What is their

policy when it comes to what to do about Colonel Gaddafi ones we know

where he is? -- once we know. They also talked about putting these

senior people on trial, and some are indicted by the International

Criminal Court. The message from the leadership is that whatever is

done it must be within the rule of law and with respect for the Libyan

constitution. They do not want to see the streets running a red with

blood, they do not want to start a new civil war. It is a rather more

difficult question about exactly what will happen to him. Some rebel

spokesman for said they will co- operate with the Hague, others have

said no, he should be tried in the Libyan court. This is an issue to

be decided by a new government. They are adamant it will be a trial

and not an execution, but where that trout takes place still

remains to be seen. -- that trial. Benghazi has been the headquarters

for the National Transitional Council. That is how it all looks

here and in this hour. -- here in this hour. We have seen months of

conflict, at months of key cities going back and forth. Having

travelled through southern and Libya, bet are areas where there is

fighting between being rebels and Colonel Gaddafi loyalists. Other

parts of the roads were taking part in negotiations. But tonight, there

is a very loud celebration. They have taken one of the last as

strong not in the capital of Colonel Gaddafi. But no confirmed

reports of the colonel about -- the whereabouts of Colonel Gaddafi and

his son. Some breaking news now: The east

coast of the US has been hit by an earthquake. We understand it was

centred in the state of Virginia. It shook much of Washington DC.

Part of the Pentagon, White House and buildings were evacuated. We

will bring you more on that as we get it.

A for now, we will continue with our coverage of Libya.

You commanded a NATO brigade in Bosnia. Your analysis, things are

unfolding as they speak. But what is the state of play for the rebels

in Libya? They are attempting to consolidate their control in

Tripoli itself. They are doing quite a bit of mopping up as well

with regard to Gaddafi's compound. Although they have captured the

surface of the compound, we cannot know whether they have cleared all

the tunnels and buildings. I suspect, also, they have to

consider about the other areas where regime forces are holding out.

The town of Brega, for example. Coming back to the compound itself,

do you think it is too soon to say the rebels are in control of bet? -

- of it? You have summarise did very well. They are in control of

the surface, it would appear. He there will be a practical point,

there may well be unexploded rockets or bombs there. And who

knows whether there are regime forces and officials still holding

out. And resume its resources in a sense of any last stand there could

be taken by Gaddafi's family or his henchmen. Is there any danger of

chemical, biological weaponry? would imagine that Gaddafi have --

has close protection and bodyguards. But I imagine the rebels would be

attempting to negotiate a surrender, particularly as the Benghazi

authority would seek to bring Gaddafi to justice. On chemical and

biological weapons, we have no evidence that Libya ever had

biological weapons. When they came out of the colt, they did declare

they had chemical weapons. -- out of the cold. A high proportion of

those were decommissioned. If they have not been maintained, they may

well have deteriorated, and might be a great hazard. As the Libyan

Air Force seems to have been destroyed, we would also have to

question their ability to deliver them. If they were to use them to

military effect, or blind vengeance, they should have used them earlier

in the war. What about NATO's wore a -- role in all of this? It is

harder for them to come to play. Don't forget that politically, made

a's military mission is to protect civilians. -- NATO's. NATO is

taking measures to co-ordinate its air strikes with the rebel forces.

A NATO spokesman admitted there were allied troops on the ground

playing a role in co-ordinating his. But this is difficult stuff. It

maintains quite a lot of training. I think that is beyond the

credibility of the rebel forces on the ground. Even so, it carries a

risk of civilian casualties. NATO is probably concentrating its

resources on other things, for example carrying out surveillance

on the rest of Libya. I imagined it is also trying to cut down on its

missile launchers. We will go back to Tripoli now. Our

Middle East correspondent joins us on the line. Give us an idea of

what is happening around you. Darkness is falling here, and I had

to withdraw from the compound. Gaddafi's owner troops started

firing into the crowd. -- owner troops. He it is very difficult to

hear what you are saying. We are having problems with the technology

will stop we will try and come back to you. We should explain to allow

viewers we have continuing coverage of what is happening in Tripoli. We

also have news coming in of an earthquake, 5.8 magnitude, centred

in the state of Virginia. We are showing you some pictures of

Tripoli now, but I wanted a new that also, the US aviation

authorities have a evacuated control towers. We will continue to

turn you what is happening on the east coast of the US, and what is

happening in North Africa, and Tripoli. We will get our

correspondence on the ground and bring you all we have, and reaction

on both those fronts. So it, continue to watch BBC World. But

Hallowed, South East England it dodged it the worst of the

thunderstorms. Elsewhere, along with sunshine, there will be shut

was. Those showers courtesy of this area of low pressure. The showers

tomorrow, initially in the West, and then they pop up elsewhere.

Mostly during the morning. The second half of the day it will be

drier and brighter. The South East avoid most of those showers and

stays at dry will stop we will see showers en a South East England

however. -- in South East England. A Wales, it is Thatcham and showers.