'US, UK ties with Gaddafi scandalous'

New documents have revealed close relations between former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi and the US and British intelligence services.

The files were found at the abandoned office of Libya's ex-spymaster by journalists and Human Rights Watch on Friday.

The following is Press TV's interview with Sabri Malek, a member of Libya's Democratic Party in London, about the issue:


Press TV: Are you surprised by the revelation saying that Gaddafi worked with the MI6, CIA and the German intelligence?

Malek: I am surprised with its very nature. We, Libyans, have always warned that Gaddafi had ties with the Western intelligence, but not to this extent. For example, a co-founder of our party, the Democratic Party, has found details in Tripoli that the MI5 and the MI6 went into his flat and recorded everything, even the color of his bedroom and tea and sent that information to Gaddafi.

We came to Britain as political refugees, and expected Britain to be a safe haven for us. But, what was incredibly happening was that the British intelligence was sending reports about us to Gaddafi. This is scandalous and there must be a parliamentary investigation into the whole saga.

Press TV: What is your reaction when Former Libyan foreign minister Moussa Koussa defected from Libya and went to the UK but then was allowed to leave the country. If they had any doubts about him or the situation, why didn't they detain him there? What is your take on all of this as you are sitting in London yourself?

Malek: We are very perplexed by this. It is the job of the Libyan Judiciary now to issue an arrest warrant for Mr. Koussa as an international terrorist. What this tells us is that there is a violation of the British and American sovereignty. This is a very very serious matter. How is it that Gaddafi with his money can buy information of the records of the phone calls made in by Libyans in Britain and America and get his hands on such records. Isn't America a sovereign state? Isn't Britain a sovereign state?

Now the question is the case of Bahrain. Is this what is happening in Bahrain? Is this what is happening in Saudi Arabia? Are the Saudis using their money for the British intelligence to spy on Saudi dissidents? Where is this going to end? There must be a public inquiry both in Britain and in America.

Press TV: Perhaps what we are seeing is a possible weaning from NATO. How likely is that to occur now in your country?

Malek: Gaddafi saw himself as the king of kings of Africa. That was because he had access to billions. He used this money to manipulate the Western governments, including [in cases of] murdering and getting away with the murder. Now we have hard evidence in Tripoli of a [compromise] between Gaddafi and the Scottish government about releasing, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, the mastermind of Lockerbie terrorist incident.

There must be a public inquiry and we in the Democratic Party are ready to cooperate in such an inquiry and provide the evidence of what we say.