Libya: Gaddafi Son’s Excuses for the People’s Uprising  · Global Voices
Amira Al Hussaini

This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011.
Posted on Twitpic on February 20, 2011 by salam93
Libyan dictator's son Saif Al Islam Al Gaddafi is addressing Libyans on State television, blaming everything other than his father for the massive protests and bloodshed the country has been witnessing in recent days.
He blamed Facebook, foreign mercenaries, Islamists, drug addicts and an army not trained in dealing with civilians for the carnage Libya has suffered. Tweeps are having a field day transcribing his speech and commenting on it:
Here's the feedback from Twitter:
@sate3: Saif al-Islam Muammar al-Gaddafi speaking now on Libyan TV #Libya #Feb17 http://twitpic.com/420j5v
@SultanAlQassemi: Saif Al Islam: Of course there were many deaths, which angered many people in Benghazi, but why were there people killed?
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: In brief, this is what's happened in Benghazi. It developed into big battles in cities, became a separatist movement
@weddady: Sayif: “these are difficult times, not time for niceties. we know there r opposition ppl with lots of friend in #Libya & r imitating Egypt”
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: there are elements here and supporters abroad doing things here and in Egypt, the socalled Facebook Revolution
@SultanAlQassemi: Saif Al Islam: There people try to use Facebook for a revolution to copy Egypt
@abdu: Saif Al Islam Gaddafi: opposition groups outside and inside have used the unfortunate date of #feb17 and used Facebook #Libya
@ArabVoicesSpeak: Sayif : a wave of democratization is weeping the Arab world & i'll B vry truthful, we know many opposition ppl live abroad & have supporters
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: people had the right to be angry because they suffered deaths. Everyone was blaming the other.
@Coolred38: #Libya Saif, “these r difficult days”…YES….for the corrupt leaders of the middle east.
@weddady: Sayif: “the causalty figures are widely exaggerated, there's an arrangement with some channels to spread this misinformation” #Libya
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: Heard 250 killed. This is an unimaginable exaggeration. But there have been mistakes on both sides. People were angry.
@abdu: Saif Al Islam Gaddafi: the army were at fault, they were attacked and they responded. I spoke to them. Everyone has their story.
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: Islamists stole weapons from police, want to declare an Islamic Emirate. Others were taking drugs. (OK, that lost me)
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: it's not a secret. There's legal and illegal immigration. All used to help in this cause.
@weddady: Sayif: “there are groups who want to run independent statelets in Eastern #Libya, islamists etc” #Libya
@Ssirgany: Oh, the foreign agenda is Arab! Seif Islam Qaddafi: we arrested tens of Arabs
@SultanAlQassemi: Saif Al Islam: This Arabic media is owned by Arabs who are distorting the facts but also our media failed to cover the events
@abdu: Saif Al Islam Gaddafi: it's all lies that there mercenaries or hundreds of people killed #Libya
@ArabRevolution: Saif: A big mistake is that our state TV didn't properly cover the events. The vacuum was filled by foreign media.
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: it's bigger than libyans and young people imitating Egypt is Tunisia. Libya is not them. Don't be over-enthusiastic.
@themoornextdoor: Seif: the Arabs laugh at us drinking tea/coffee while watching us burning out country — true laughing @ his dad, crying for the people
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: separation could go back to what it was more than 70 years ago.
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: in Libya, if any separation happened, it would break it up. It was originally built on three parts.
@SultanAlQassemi: Saif Al Islam: Who will manage this oil? How will we divide this oil amongst us? Who will spend on our hospitals?
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: How would we divide this between us? Who'd invest in our kids, hospitals, etc? This is sedition.
@abdu: Saif Al Islam Gaddafi: We might go back to days of evil and poverty. We won't be able to share the oil #Libya
@SultanAlQassemi: Saif Al Islam: Your children will not go to schools or universities. There will be chaos, we will have to leave Libya if we can't share oil
@acarvin: Gaddafi's son: Children wouldn't have food, people wouldn't have banks.
@AfriNomad: traitors, press manipulation, islamists, mercenaries, crackheads. Can someone plz map #Libya's grand conspiracy? I'm lost..
@weddady: Sayif sounds like preparing to drop a conspiracy theory.. #Libya
@weddady: Sayif: “we captured tens of Arabs and Africans who were hired by the wealthy to be used” #Libya
@monaeltahawy: “Foreign elements” in #Libya: that would be mercenaries, right, Saif? #Libya
@evgenymorozov: Hosni had a far better TV studio
@norashalaby: Facebook revolution? Please Saif, spare us the crap #Libya
@RuwaydaMustafah: So according to Saif the army was not trained, and that justifies the killing of hundreds in #Benghazi. #Libya
@monaeltahawy: #Gaddafi son saying #Libyans who were on drugs “attacked” army. Sounds like dad and Internet and those “high on drugs”. Parallel universe
@BaghdadBrian: Saif Al Islam speaks & mentions death in a very nonchalant manner. Deaths were caused because Protesters were drug takers & drunks #Libya
@AfriNomad: Friendly advice to #Gaddafi's son – stop insulting your police & army, not that many still on your side. Just sayin’.. #Feb17
@monaeltahawy: Oil that #Libya has, as #Gaddafi son says, would be oil his Papa treats like his personal source of wealth, squandered, denied from people
@AliDahmash: #Gaddafi son (Saif el eslam) is taking no sense and blaming foreign agendas and TV stations, just like Mubarak said #Libya
@themoornextdoor: Separatists! Fitna! The people attacked us!
@weddady: Ok Sayif, is less than honest here talking about islamists, he's the one who released them to gain credibility in the west #Libya
@evgenymorozov: Did Saif just agree with Glenn Beck? It's all part of a big plot!
@RuwaydaMustafah: #Gaddafi's son justifies the killing of protesters by saying the army was not trained in dealing with citizens. What a stupid speech! #libya
@rania_hafez: RT @staciefrost: this speech is pathetic #Libya blames everyone but his father and the government, it's all the protesters fault!
@Ssirgany: The same rhetoric: the Arab channels fueled the violence; spread rumors
@NatashaTynes: Saif Al Islam: Our Arab brothers through media hyped this #Libya.
@blakehounshell: So basically, foreigners, Islamists, and LSD users are plotting to destroy Libya #Seif
@habibahamid: I feel ashamed that Sayf went to the same uni I studied at to perfect his craft; yet is accusing a nation of being drug addicts
@NawafAlthani: Saif Al Islam goes on and on and on … Full of hot air ! #Ghadafi #Feb17
@sate3: Like father like son. #Libya's future will not have a Saif al-Islam in it. Keyword here is: “not” #Feb17
@Ssirgany: dude not the agenda! Seif El-Islam is starting the opposition living abroad rhetoric
This post is part of our special coverage Libya Uprising 2011.