Prime minister: Chemical, nuclear weapons found in Libya

Libya's acting Prime Minister Mahmoud Jibril has announced that nuclear and chemical weapons have been found in the country and said foreign inspectors would arrive later in the week to investigate the issue, Al Arabiya TV network reported on Monday quoting a National Transitional Council official. The official said, the country is in close contact with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to define the composition of the exact materials of the weapons. “By making this announcement, we reaffirm that the new Libya is a peaceful Libya, a Libya that abides by international law, a Libya that aims for development before anything else for the good of its people,” Jibril said. Jibril said Libya has no interest in keeping such weapons. He refused to give further details on the location and amount of the weapons. “There are international organizations taking care of this issue,” Jibril said. A Russian-drafted U.N. resolution, to be voted on this week, calls on Libyan authorities to destroy its chemical weapons. The late Muammar Gaddafi officially gave up his nuclear weapons program in 2004 to strengthen Libya’s ties with the West.