Two Libyan senior Air Force colonels land in Malta, defecting for refusal to fire on protesters.

[seafan]

Al Jazeera is reporting that 2 Libyan warplanes have landed in Malta, which is 1 hour away from Libya. It was an unannounced landing without clearance.

These 2 fighter jets were piloted by senior colonels of the Libyan Air Force. The pilots confirmed when they landed in Malta that they had been ordered to bombard the protesters in Benghazi, Libya.


The colonels said they'd defected, because they refused orders to fire on protesters.

They were immediately taken into custody.


Al Jazeera English live video link here.

[seafan]

1. Libyan air force colonels 'communicated from the air that they wanted political asylum.'

More:


AP Photo/Lino Azzopardi
One of two Libyan Air Force Mirage jet fighters to land in Malta, is surrounded by Maltese police after it landed in Malta's International airport, Monday, Feb. 21, 2011.

Two Libyan air force jets landed in Malta on Monday and their pilots asked for political asylum amid a bloody crackdown on anti-government protesters in Libya, a military source said.

The two Mirage jets landed at Malta International Airport shortly after two civilian helicopters landed carrying seven people who said they were French. A military source familiar with the situation said the passengers had left in such a hurry that only one had a passport.

The source, who insisted he not be identified further, said the jet pilots — both Libyan air force colonels — had communicated from the air that they wanted political asylum. They had left from a base near Tripoli and had flown low over Libyan airspace to avoid detection, the source said.

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[roguevalley]

2. And God smiled. I know I am. :)