Western Arms Helping Libyan Forces Massacre Anti-Regime Rebels

Anti-government tribal rebels prepare for possible attacks by pro-Gaddafi loyalists  Photo: REUTERS


EU Documents Reveal

European and British arms firms supplied Libya with hundreds of millions of pounds of military hardware which is now being used by its armed forces to put down the revolt against Col Muammar Gaddafi's regime.

By Praveen Swami, Diplomatic Editor
11:32PM GMT 27 Feb 2011
Courtesy Of "The Telegraph"

The European Union's latest arms control report, released in January, said member states issued licences for the sale of £293.2 million worth of weapons and weapons systems to Libya in 2009 alone.

Britain issued arms firms licences for the sale of £21.7 million worth of small arms, ammunition, ordinance, aviation components, armoured and protective equipment and military electronics.

Malta, which issued licences worth £67.9 million, was the largest European arms supplier to Libya in 2009. The sales, which were almost certainly re-exports of equipment bought elsewhere, were entirely made up of small arms – the kind of equipment now being used by Libyan forces to fire on unarmed protesters.

Germany issued licences for the sale of £47e_STnSmillion of military hardware, mainly vehicles and spare parts, France, approved £20.6 million of sales and Belgium a total of £19.04 million.

The sales were part of an intense competition between Russian and European manufacturers. Libya began a modest rearmament effort starting in 2004, when the United States and EU lifted sanctions imposed because of its support of terrorist groups.

It ordered an £79 million tactical information and command system from General Dynamics UK, for the crack 32 Brigade commanded by one of Col Gaddafi's sons, Khamis. It was described in a leaked US diplomatic cable as one of three last-ditch "regime protection units."

Libya also ordered new T-90 and T-72 tanks and S-30 air-defence missiles from Russia, armoured vehicles from Jordan, trucks from the United Arab Emirates, and Milan anti-tank missiles from France. The French also agreed to upgrade Libya's ageing Mirage F-1 fighters, while Russia contracted to supply Su-30 and S-35 jets – although it is unclear whether these have been delivered.

European arms firms often complained their interests were being undermined by human rights groups. For instance Belgium was forced to revoke a licence issued to FN Herstal to sell arms to Libya after a campaign by human rights groups.

Britain stopped a York-based firm from shipping 130,000 Kalashnikov assault rifles to Libya in 2008, fearing they would be passed on to warlords in Sudan. The contract was later taken up by Romania.