Libya’s National Transitional Council announces creation of supreme security council tasked with protecting capital Tripoli

Libya's National Transitional Council on Saturday announced the creation of a supreme security council tasked with protecting the capital Tripoli.

"This committee represents all those who are concerned for the security of our new capital," Ali Tarhuni, who chairs the newly formed body as well as the NTC's executive committee, told reporters.

In their first meeting, the 17 members of the committee agreed that the capital's security was the general responsibility of the interior ministry, which resumed work on Saturday, and of the police force in particular.

"The main goal is to protect citizens, as well as public and private establishments, and to eliminate what remains of pro-Gaddafi groups, or what is called the fifth column," Tarhuni said.

The committee, which he said includes the majority of the revolutionary groups in the capital, also decided to include "remaining groups" under its umbrella and expected "no problems" in this regard. "I do not anticipate any problems in other groups joining this committee," Tarhuni said, adding that revolutionary units will temporarily assist police forces in securing the streets of the capital. These groups, he said, will leave the city as soon as the city's police, which boasts about 7,000 men, can fully take over.

Tarhuni also announced the creation of a new committee charged with centralizing prisoners of war in a "safe and secure" location to ensure that their legal and human rights are respected. "We will protect them and they will enjoy all the legal and human rights despite the fact that they denied such rights to our Libyan people," he said.

Earlier, Turkish ambassador to Libya on Saturday called on Moamer Gaddafi and his family to surrender and promised every possible assistance to the north African nation in its transition to democracy.
  
"We expect the Gaddafi family to surrender themselves to Libyan justice... There is no other option for them," said Ali Kemal Aydin, the first ambassador to return to Tripoli since Gaddafi's ouster, adding that it was vital to avoid further bloodshed.
  
He said Turkey would not act as a mediator between the National Transitional Council and the Gaddafi family. "All along we told Gaddafi and his family that they should transfer their power to the Libyan people. Unfortunately, they didn't heed our advice," he said.
  
The ambassador said he had arrived in the capital on Friday with a team of 25 diplomats and announced the resumption of all operations at the embassy, which closed its doors in early May. "I am very happy to start my responsibilities as Turkish ambassador in the new, democratic Libya," he said. He said Turkey would do all it could to support the Libyan people and government through the transition.