A British-Libyan man who organised a demonstration in Valletta in solidarity with his nation, and was reportedly killed in the conflict, is safe and sound. He was simply a victim of mistaken identity.
Hakim Mezughi, 48, was in Malta between February and March where he became a prominent member of the anti-Gaddafi protestors who picketed the Libyan embassy in Balzan for a number of days.
Facebook reports emerged last week about a British-Libyan businessman in his 40s who was killed in Brega. Although the man was named as Khaled Attghdi, the accompanying picture used showed Mr Mezughi.
It turns out that Mr Attghdi, who was killed some six weeks ago on his way out of Libya where he had gone to rescue his newly married daughter, was Mr Mezughi’s good friend and neighbour. They both lived in Manchester.
“His daughter is back in the UK,” Mr Mezughi told The Sunday Times via telephone yesterday, unperturbed by the fact that he was reported to have been killed.
“It’s fine. I know these kinds of mistakes happen and it’s not malicious. Let’s just hope things get better and may God save Libya.”
Although Mr Mezughi left Malta some weeks ago – where he had been on holiday with his two young sons – he has kept in touch with the community in Malta and is taking part in the aid effort to Misurata.
Although he could not supply names in order to protect their identity, he confirmed that some Libyans who lived in Malta had returned to fight against Muammar Gaddafi’s forces as well as to help take medical supplies to the worst hit cities, like Misurata.
Mr Mezughi expressed grave concern about the situation in Misurata, and warned that unless Gaddafi stepped down, a similar “massacre” could eventually take place in Tripoli.
However, he said he did not want to see the international military intervention intensified.
“The intervention will not bring solutions for the Libyans. The Libyan people have to solve this problem themselves. If there are foreign troops on the ground, it could backfire,” he said.
Reacting to the Libyan government’s announcement that it would withdraw troops from Misurata and let the pro-Gaddafi tribes drive the rebels away, Mr Mezughi said the tribes had been living side by side for years. “I don’t think they will do that,” he said, reacting to fears that tribal warfare could be even more deadly.