message from Libya

Had some emails those linked to Libya... one about the Doctor who was released due to pressure via letter to Gaddafi from the cast of 'Yes Minister' and has contiued to work in Benghazi despite concerns that he may have been re arrested....

Dear Ian,

so kind of you to remember us.

Benghazi has of course had a more normal time for the last few months but it has been an anxious time.


So much unbelievable suffering and so much cruelty. The images are unbearable. I do hope the LIbyan people can have a good future now.


I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart for all that stirling work you do to help me free my husband.


Perhaps next time he visits family here we can arrange for him to meet you. He was always too afraid to stay for long in the past since he had been warned they would kill him if he did. After a few days he would become quite anxious.

My best wishes to you and your family.


Hopefully they face a less stressful future and his sons may be able to return to visit Libya

Good Riddance to Gaddafi

News that Gaddafi is on the way out is welcome. I remember a case we worked on in Walsall of a Dr Elmufti born in Libya ,who had complained about the state of the contaminated water supplies in the town in Libya where he worked as a doctor and was imprisoned after Gaddafi directed the third court to find him guilty. The first two courts had found Dr Elmufti not guilty!  Gaddafi directed that he would be in prison to rot until he died. He was placed in a cell which he could not stand up in and  suffered serious ill health issues. His wife and children were in London and we started a serious campaign to get him released. His conditions did improve and we made the final breakthrough by appealing to the arrogance of Gaddafi.
Dr Elmufti had worked for a time in Leeds as a heart sugeon and I got the hospital to askGaddafi for his release to allow him to take up a post at the hospital.
Also I heard on desert island discs where the now late Paul Eddington was the castaway that Gaddafi loved the programme Yes Minister and had the tapes flown over to him and he played them often in his 'tent' So I asked Paul Eddington if he would sign a ghosted letter that I had written to Gaddafi. The whole cast signed this and within 2 weeks Gaddafi called in Dr Elmufit's mother who lived in Tripoli and told her that he had released her son. We then had to support his wife still in London with for example help with the daily telephone calls costs to ensure he was still free.
At this time the UK had still no diplomatic links with Libya... aftermath of the murder of the police woman outside the Embassy. Walsall MP David Winnick arranged for issue of a diplomatic passport to allow Dr Elmufti to exit Libya and this was delivered to my home in Walsall!.
Dr Elmufti still works in Tripoli hospital however as a heart specialist and survived the potential further wrath of Gaddafi and the many powerful local groups that ran each district.
I am a bit surprised that Gaddafi has fallen relatively easily as he has usually been very crafty and ruthless in his hold on power.
I do hope that the new regime will not be exploited by those who may again abuse power. Gaddafi will I hope face a trial as all such ruthless dictators who imagine they are like a God on earth but actually are just a trumped up tin pot dictator with only an interest in power and prepared to torture and kill anyone who got in their way.
Regretfully it does seem to be those states who have oil who appear to stimulate the West to action... Iraq, Egypt, Kuwait and now Libya and only when their appears to be a risk to the supplies... still it is a start!

Gadhafi said his people 'love him.' I think that's what he said. It was hard to hear over the rebel gunfire." –David Letterman