Moussa Koussa to attend Libya talks in Qatar

The Foreign Office says Moussa Koussa is now free to leave the UK after being questioned about the Lockerbie bombing.

“We understand he is travelling today to Doha to meet with the Qatar government and a range of Libyan representatives to offer insight in advance of the contact group meeting,” a Foreign Office spokesman said.

“Moussa Koussa is a free individual who can travel to and from the United Kingdom as he wishes,” the spokesman said.

We understand he is travelling today to Doha to meet with the Qatar government and a range of Libyan representatives to offer insight in advance of the contact group meeting. Foreign Office spokesman

Koussa defected to Britain on 30 March after quitting the government of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

It is believed he could be trying to broker a deal between opposition fighters and other defectors from Gaddafi’s regime.

Jonathan Ganesh, who was injured in the Docklands bombing of 1996 and is a spokesman for IRA victims, told Channel 4 News he is utterly shocked by the revelations.

“I couldn’t belive it. It’s astonishing. .. To think that he could be going to negotiate some sort of peace deal is unbelievable. He is a very dangerous man.”

To think that he could be going to negotiate some sort of peace deal is unbelievable. He is a very dangerous man. Jonathan Ganesh, survivor of the Docklands bombing

He told Channel 4 the Government is insulting victims’ families by allowing Koussa to leave the UK without even issuing an apology.

“They need to be so careful with how they handle this. They must remember the victims and the people who lost family members, loved ones. The Hague has named him in a case they’re preparing. To hear this…. the victims would just be heartbroken.”

The first thing he needs to do is send an apology to victims of the Lockerbie bombings, of IRA attacks. He also needs to go on state TV and condemn the Gaddafi regime publicly,” he said.

British government sources said they expected Koussa to return to Britain after his talks.

It comes a day after Koussa made his first public statement since leaving Libya 12 days ago, warning against Libya suffering the same fate as Somalia.

“I ask everybody to avoid taking Libya into civil war,” he said.

“This would lead to so much blood and Libya would be a new Somalia. More than that, we refuse to divide Libya. The unity of Libya is essential to any solution and settlement.”

Many people will be very anxious that Britain is being used as a transit lounge for alleged war criminals. Tory MP Robert Halfon

Tory MP Robert Halfon, whose family fled Libya when Gaddafi took power, has accused the coalition of repeating mistakes made with Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.

“Many people will be very anxious that Britain is being used as a transit lounge for alleged war criminals,” Mr Halfon said.

“We should learn from the release of Megrahi that we should not release those people associated with Gaddafi or let them out of the UK until they have faced the full course of the law, whether in British courts or international courts.”

Foreign Secretary William Hague has called on NATO to “maintain and intensify” efforts towards creating stability in Libya.

I ask everybody to avoid taking Libya into civil war. This would lead to so much blood and Libya would be a new Somalia. Moussa Koussa, Former Libyan Foreign Minister

“There is always more to do, but we must remember that thousands of lives have been saved, including the population of Benghazi.

“A huge amount has been achieved, but there is a huge amount to be done,” he said as he arrived in Luxembourg for talks with EU foreign ministers.

Read more: Libya war - strike against Gaddafi

Mr Hague said the removal of Gaddafi was a pivotal step towards restoring peace.

“To have any viable peaceful future for Libya, Colonel Gaddafi needs to leave.”

To have any viable peaceful future for Libya, Colonel Gaddafi needs to leave. Foreign Secretary William Hague

The Foreign Secretary said today’s EU meeting would also discuss the humanitarian crisis facing Libyans.

“The United Nations is in the lead in co-ordinating assistance to Libya. It is getting through… but it depends on the situation on the ground.”

<!–

–>