Libyan General dismissed for threatening to attack Cairo

The Libyan Government has issued a decision to terminate the service of senior military officer who threatened to target the Egyptian Presidential Palace and government offices in Cairo, officials said.

"The investigation found out that General Mohamed Gneidi, a military intelligence official from Misurata, violated military rules by appearing to media without prior permission, in addition to threatening Egyptian authorities to blow up the Presidential Palace, which is unjustified and acceptable," Xinhua news agency quoted an official of the Military Prosecution Office as saying.

"We referred the investigation documents of the actions of officer Gneidi through media and his refusal to appear before the military court, which led Prime Minister Serraj to issue a decision a few hours ago to terminate his services and dismiss him from the army."

The General criticized the Egyptian authorities via a local Libyan channel on Saturday over the airstrike carried out by unidentified warplane on the eastern city of Derna a few days ago and accused Egyptian Air Force of carrying out the attack.

He threatened to respond to the "Egyptian aggression" on his country by targeting government and vital buildings, including the Egyptian Presidential Palace.

Gneidi also appeared on Sunday on another local Libyan TV channel and stressed that he does not represent the military command of the Government of National Accord, but the military command of the outgoing General National Congress.

--IANS

amit