President Muammar Qadhafi's security forces started Tuesday morning an intimidation campaign in Tripoli in an attempt to quell protests, a prominent Libyan opposition leader has said.
In a statement to the press, opposition leader Gibril Fayez said the campaign includes firing randomly in the streets to keep people in their homes.
Fayez added that Libyan Foreign Minister Mousa Kosi, who headed the Libyan intelligence three years ago, is leading those security forces. Other brigades are led by al-Motassem, Qadhafi's son, and Mansour Daw, one of the officers close to him.
Security forces were seen distributing Kalashnikov rifles and bullets to the supporters of Qadhafi, according to Fayez.
He also said he has received information that thousands of Africans, from Mali and Niger, have been transported from neighboring Algerian deserts to Tripoli to help in the repression of protests.
Every African who arrives in Tripoli receives US$2000 in cash, Fayez claimed.
