[Pak Daily Times] A crowd of protesters forced their way inside the local headquarters of Libya's ruling National Transitional Council (NTC) in the eastern city of Benghazi on Saturday, a Rooters news hound at the scene said. People in Benghazi, the birth-place of the revolt which forced out former leader Muammar Qadaffy...a reminder that a single man with an idea can change an entire nation, usually for the worse...
, have been protesting for weeks to demand the sacking of Qadaffy-era officials and more transparency about how the NTC is spending Libyan assets. The attack underscored growing public discontent over the way Libya's new rulers are running the North African country. On Saturday, hundreds of young men, many maimed from the war, rallied outside the NTC's headquarters. When NTC chairman Abdul Jalil came out to address the crowd, some protesters hurled empty plastic bottles at him, prompting security forces to fire tear gas, the Rooters news hound said.
"Go away, go away," they chanted as Abdul Jalil spoke. Protesters then threw stones and metal bars at the building, breaking windows, before storming the headquarters. One protester left the building carrying a set of loudspeakers and screaming: "Spoils of war!"
Protesters also damaged a vehicle used by Abdul Jalil.
Many of those who fought in the nine-month civil war that ended with the capture and killing of Qadaffy in October are unhappy with cash compensations promised by the government, saying it does not cover their basic needs. The NTC is grappling with a range of problems including efforts to disband dozens of powerful militias that effectively control the country. Security officials want to integrate them into the military and police forces, but militia chiefs have shown little interest in surrendering their arms.