adminAfrican, a South Korean and a Swede who holds a US passport, were arrested on Tuesday at a printing house, where they were printing books calling for conversion to Christianity,” Hussein bin Hameida told AFP.
“Libya is a Muslim country and preaching another religion is a crime under Libyan law,” he said.
Bin Hameida said an investigation was still under way and the suspects “will be handed over to the intelligence services soon.”
Since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s government, the small Christian community fears for its safety, especially after a church bombing in December killed two people in the Mediterranean town of Dafniya.
The main Catholic Church’s clergyman in Libya have said that Christians are being driven out of eastern Libya by Muslim fundamentalists.
The Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, has said the situation was “critical” and the “atmosphere very tense.”
Two religious communities in the east of the country — the Congregation of the Holy Family of Spoleto and the Franciscan Sisters of Child Jesus — were forced to leave “after being pressured by fundamentalists.”
Meanwhile, security forces were on high alert across Libya yesterday as the north African nation marked two years since the start of the revolt that toppled Gaddafi after four decades of rule.
Borders were closed and some international flights suspended amid fears of a new outbreak of violence.
The anniversary of the uprising that ended with Gaddafi’s killing in October 2011 came as Libya’s new rulers battle critics calling for a “new revolution” and accusing them of failing to usher in much-needed reforms.
On Friday, thousands of people gathered in the main cities of Tripoli and Benghazi to celebrate the initial February 15, 2011 protest that ignited the revolt two days later.
There was no official programme for yesterday’s anniversary, but the authorities took steps aimed at preventing any violence on a day when spontaneous celebrations are expected.
Tahrir Square in Benghazi was set to be the focus of the celebration, attended by national assembly president Mohammed Megaryef, the de facto head of state, and members of the government.
Libya’s borders with Egypt and Tunisia were closed from Thursday for four days, and all international flights had been suspended except at the airports of Tripoli and second city Benghazi — the cradle of the “February 17 revolution.” — AFP.
Online Reporter