Gaddafi Issues Shooting 'Apology'

There was new hope for relatives of IRA terror victims this weekend with news that Libyan leader Muammar al Gaddafi had not only apologised for the 1984 death of WPC Yvonne Fletcher - shot outside the Libyan embassy in London - but also indicated that a deal had been struck with Britain over IRA victim compensation.

In a rare interview, he said that an "agreement or a legal agreement" had been concluded between his country and the British government, thus boosting hopes of official recognition for their role in arming the IRA at the height of the Troubles.

Speaking to Sky News, Col Gaddafi was asked by reporter Colin Brazier about the delegation of MPs who have been putting Tripoli under pressure to compensate victims of the IRA.

They are due to travel to Libya next week to hold talks with Libyan officials about a possible package for victims of IRA terrorism.

Colonel Gaddafi said: "To the best of my knowledge I am not aware there is a delegation, that is because I am not really interested. It does not concern me, these diplomatic or government delegations, because I am out of it.

"But I believe that an agreement has been concluded between Libya and the UK," he said, and when pressed on whether a deal had actually been struck, the Libyan leader replied: "Yeah, yeah. So it closes the chapters of the past. There will be no chance of any pursuit of legal or previous actions, so that is it."

The revelation came in an exclusive TV interview, where the Tripoli leader also offered his nation's sympathy for the killing of WPC Fletcher.

She was policing an anti-Gaddafi demonstration when she was hit by shots fired from inside the embassy.

The incident saw Britain sever relations with Libya and no-one has ever been brought to justice for her death.

Col Gaddafi said that he was sorry and gave his nation's sympathy, but offered no answer as to who was reponsible.

"She is not an enemy to us, and we are sorry all the time and (we offer) our sympathy, because she was on duty, she was there to protect the Libyan Embassy," he said.

In a wide-ranging interview with Sky's Colin Brazier, the Libyan also talked about Libyan-British relations, which he described as "very, very good".

However, he agreed that the release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al Megrahi was "a matter of concern for the British, Scots (and) Americans".

"We are not really concerned about it," he added.

"We have economic relations, investment relations, British companies, banks and, indeed, investments over there in England," he continued.

"Let me say that economic relations were good even during the time of Lockerbie between our two countries. They were never affected."

The news on Northern Ireland comes just days ahead of a delegation of MPs travelling to Libya to discuss possible compensation for the families of IRA victims after it supplied guns and explosives to the IRA during the Troubles.

Lawyers for some of those injured or bereaved by the IRA have revealed that while MPs have been invited, the victims were not.

MP Jeffrey Donaldson, who will be on the delegation, said it followed talks he and DUP colleague Nigel Dodds had at the Libyan embassy in London.

"As a result of that, the Libyan government have now issued an invitation for a parliamentary delegation to visit Libya to discuss with them the claim for compensation for the victims of IRA terrorism," he said.

Mr Donaldson said he expected there would be a chance for victims to meet with the Libyans in the future.

See: PM Backs Backs Libya Terror Compensation Bid

(BMcC/KMcA)