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Libyan Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Ibrahim Dabbashi
The Libyan deputy ambassador to the UN says Libya's ruler Muammar Gaddafi's statements are a signal for his minions to start genocide against Libyan people.

"I have received information today, that after the statement by Col. Gaddafi today, the attack on people has started in the western parts of Libya. I hope the information I get is not accurate, but if it's right, it will be a real genocide," Ibrahim Dabbashi told reporters on Tuesday.

Dabbashi also called on the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Luis Moreno-Ocampo, to investigate what he described as genocide and crimes against humanity committed by Gaddafi during the ongoing unrest in the country.

"And also we are calling on the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to start investigating the genocide, crimes against humanity and crimes of war committed by Gaddafi against his people," the Libyan diplomat added.

Referring to the UN Security Council's Tuesday statement that called on the Libyan government to stop the violence against its people, Dabbashi said he had hoped for a stronger message from the international community.

Gaddafi has waged a bloody battle to hang on to power as the revolution against his 42-year rule reached the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The 68-year-old Gaddafi has rejected the pro-democracy protesters' calls for his resignation despite the killing of more than 1,000 Libyans by the Libyan military.

Instead, the Libyan ruler has pledged to crush the ongoing revolution meant to put an end to his rule.

The brutality of the crackdown has led many top Libyan officials to quit. On Tuesday, the Libyan interior minister resigned from his post.

Earlier, two Libyan air force pilots defected to Malta in their aircraft after refusing to carry out the regime's orders to bomb civilians.

Reports indicate that two Libyan naval ships have also fled to Malta after refusing to follow orders to open fire on pro-democracy protesters in the port city of Benghazi.