Tamizi Hj Tamby 1 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 I guess some of you knew about this news already;and for those who haven't,here's the news: Two Libyan fighter pilots escape to Malta in Mirage F1 jets 21st February 2011, 20:35 CET by Martin Krupka, 12693 views Two Libyan Air Force Mirage fighter jets unexpectedly flew to Malta this afternoon with their pilots claiming they escaped to Malta after having been ordered to bomb protesters who have taken control of the second city of Benghazi. The pilots told the Maltese authorities that they left from a base near Tripoli. They are being questioned by the Police. The pilots initially asked for emergency clearance to land and for refueling. Also below are photos of the two civilian helicopters which flew out of Libya and landed at Malta International Airport today afternoon carrying seven people. Informed sources said the helicopters 'escaped from Libya with no official clearance'. Such was the haste of their departure from Libya, that only one of the passengers was carrying a passport. The passengers claimed to be French. Immigration Police are checking the identities of the passengers while holding them at the airport. And here's the photo from A.net (aircrafts are 502 and 508): (Photos by Peter Tonna) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JuliusWong 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) Saw it on airliners.net few minutes back. I am glad that these two pilots have sense of humanity. Kudos to them! Let us pray for our fellow friends in Libya. Gaddafi just 'declared' a war on his own people. The lowest of low one can get. Edited February 23, 2011 by JuliusWong Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cire 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 wow.. that is actually very cruel and dramatic indeed to suppress its citizens with bombs. Gaddafi is one sick fellow ala Saddam.. After this incident, would the 2nd.wave of air attack on the citizens be actually carried out since pro-Gaddafi group will held the families of the pilots at ransoms or something.. It might be a desperate attempt to maintain government. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Radzi 2 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 I'm monitoring CNN now, and there is no such news there. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JuliusWong 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 I'm monitoring CNN now, and there is no such news there. http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/23/worldupdates/2011-02-23T000057Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-550773-2&sec=Worldupdates http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/23/worldupdates/2011-02-23T000631Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-550777-2&sec=Worldupdates these two news item are enough frightening....lets hope he is merely saying it....fingers crossed! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 When a gomen started to kill its unarmed citizens, it is the beginning of the end of the regime. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 The first duty of any ruler is to protect the ruled else he shall lost his rights to rule. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ganesh.r 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 what going to happen to the 2 jet. Does Malta own then now Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamizi Hj Tamby 1 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 (edited) what going to happen to the 2 jet. Does Malta own then now I'm thinking that those 2 jets will be temporarily kept by the Maltese authority. But with the current situation,my guess that those Mirages will be in Malta for a unknown period. Edited February 23, 2011 by Tamizi Hj Tamby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cire 0 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 hm... very familiar situation. Was it when Libya was at war (with US??) that 2 or 4 such jets flew to Malta to seek political asylum or something.. I remembered something like this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aaron Goh 1 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 BTw, anyone can enlightened me how come some govs are called regime? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Victor A. 2 Report post Posted February 23, 2011 BTw, anyone can enlightened me how come some govs are called regime? just my 2 cents, all gov are called regime and most often than not its being used in a negative way... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cire 0 Report post Posted February 24, 2011 just my 2 cents, all gov are called regime and most often than not its being used in a negative way... wiki's explained...In politics, a regime is the form of government: the set of rules, cultural or social norms, etc. that regulate the operation of government and its interactions with society. For instance, the United States has one of the oldest regimes still active in the world, dating to the ratification of its Constitution in 1789. Although modern usage often gives the term a negative connotation, like an authoritarian one, Webster's definition clearly states that the word "regime" refers simply to a form of government.[1] [edit] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamizi Hj Tamby 1 Report post Posted February 25, 2011 (edited) News related to the LAF: Libya pilot ‘rejects Benghazi raid, ditches plane’ AFP Residents stand on a tank holding a pre-Gadhafi era national flag inside a security forces compound in Benghazi. Libyan protesters celebrated in the streets of Benghazi on Monday, claiming control of the country's second largest city after bloody fighting, and anti-government unrest spread to the capital with clashes in Tripoli's main square for the first time. -AP Photo TRIPOLI: A fighter pilot disobeyed orders on Wednesday to bomb the opposition stronghold of Benghazi and ditched his plane after he and his co-pilot ejected, a Libyan newspaper reported on its website. The Russian-made Sukhoi 22 crashed near Ajdabiya, 160 kilometres (100 miles) west of the city which has fallen to anti-regime protesters, a military source said, quoted in Quryna newspaper. “Pilot Abdessalam Attiyah al-Abdali and co-pilot Ali Omar al-Kadhafi ejected with parachutes after refusing orders to bomb the city of Benghazi.” On Monday, the pilots of two Libyan fighter jets landed in Malta and defected after they had been ordered to attack protesters in Benghazi. The two men told Maltese military officers that they were senior air force colonels and one of them requested asylum, as they were getting out of their single-seater Mirage F1 jets. Malta is the closest European state to Libya, located just 340 kilometres (211 miles) north of Libyan shores. Two French-registered Super Puma civilian helicopters also landed on the Mediterranean island around the same time, carrying seven passengers who said they were French working on oil rigs near Benghazi. The helicopters were given permission to land in Malta but had not been given clearance to leave Libya, indicating they had escaped, the sources said. Did a quick search on the Libyan Air Force; after the escape of 2 Mirage F1s to Malta and another one crashed at Gulf of Sirte after the pilot ejected out of the plane,Only one Mirage F1 left in their equipment! Edited February 25, 2011 by Tamizi Hj Tamby Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Saccani 0 Report post Posted February 26, 2011 hm... very familiar situation. Was it when Libya was at war (with US??) that 2 or 4 such jets flew to Malta to seek political asylum or something.. I remembered something like this. I don't think so. You may have the first UN/Iraq conflict in mind, when a small number of Iraqi fighters flew to Iran. The Iranians kept them. Cheers! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tamizi Hj Tamby 1 Report post Posted February 26, 2011 I don't think so. You may have the first UN/Iraq conflict in mind, when a small number of Iraqi fighters flew to Iran. The Iranians kept them. Cheers! You're right,Paul; Iran did kept some of the Iraqi fighters flown to Iran during the Desert Storm. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Saccani 0 Report post Posted February 27, 2011 You're right,Paul; Iran did kept some of the Iraqi fighters flown to Iran during the Desert Storm. As far as I know, they kept every aircraft that flew to them. This was 24 x Mirage 1EQ, 4 x MiG23BN, 4 x Su20, 5 x Su22M2, 9 x Su22M3, 15 x Su22M4, 24 x Su24MK, 7 x Su25, 7 x MiG23ML, 4 x MiG29, 1 x MiG23UM, 15 x Il76, 2 x Falcon 20, 3 x Falcon 50, and one Lockheed Jetstar. That's a pretty tidy haul... 125 aircraft in all, most of them fighter aircraft or bombers. AFAIK, they were all impressed in to service with IRIAF. Precisely because he didn't get those aircraft back, in 2003 President Hussein made the sensible decision to bury his air force to prevent its destruction so that he could reconstitute it after what he hoped would be a non-decisive campaign against Iraq. This was not to be, but it was still a sensible decision that, if nothing else, at least saved the lives of some IQAF flyers. Iran has been the real winner of all three wars - except in terms of human losses. Like they say, the only thing worse than winning a war is losing one. Having drifted somewhat off topic, I too must say I admire the actions of all of the Libyan pilots who refused to attack civilians. Their names should be remembered, like that of Air Vice-Marshall Georges Sada of the IqAF, who refused to kill prisoners of war and was himself imprisoned for that act of defience. Considering the large number of people killed for trivial acts that ticked off President Hussein, that had to take a lot more courage than simply flying away to a nuetral country - though that chap that ejected over Libyan territory has got to be close in the courage stakes. Cheers, Paul Saccani Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KK Lee 5 Report post Posted February 28, 2011 A merely and determine resistance to lawless violent is the first of social duties of all men. May victory be the people of Libya. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cire 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2011 wow.. what a story. These pilots must be commented for being brave to goes against the order of their supreme army. I wondered whether the regime will retaliate against this defectors by going after their family. It is not new a terror scheme which was highlighted during Desert Storm. Soldiers of higher ranks were told to do suicidal mission otherwise, the families members would be executed. Very very cruel indeed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paul Saccani 0 Report post Posted February 28, 2011 wow.. what a story. These pilots must be commented for being brave to goes against the order of their supreme army. I wondered whether the regime will retaliate against this defectors by going after their family. It is not new a terror scheme which was highlighted during Desert Storm. Soldiers of higher ranks were told to do suicidal mission otherwise, the families members would be executed. Very very cruel indeed. I find that very hard to believe. Can you cite some examples? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cire 0 Report post Posted March 1, 2011 I have read it from the news reported during the Desert Storm operations. Captured soldiers when interrogated were reported to have been "ransomed". Such tactics are not new. Even during ancient China, where warriors failed to execute the villians' plan, their whole family are executed. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
