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night when NATO missiles struck his residential compound killing his youngest son Saif al Arab Gaddafi (29) and three grandchildren, all younger than 12.
The air strike, came hours after Gaddafi called for a ceasefire and negotiations, and just a week after British defence secretary Liam Fox threatened Gaddafi with death if he did not step down.
The Libyan government said Colonel Gaddafi and his wife were in the house at the time of the bombing, but escaped unharmed.
But officials have cast doubt over the news after the building, inside a compound, was badly damaged by several bombs and no bodies were reported to have been removed.
NATO confirmed the airstrike claiming it had struck a ‘‘command and control building in the Bab al-Azizya neighbourhood” on Saturday evening, but insisted it did not target individuals.
Saif Gaddafi, who spent much of his time in Germany in recent years, played an active role in seeking to quell the rebellion that has seen Libyan rebels challenge his father’s 41-year rule.
Three bombs are believed to have landed on the house.
Libya spokesman Mr Moussa Ibrahim said Col Gaddafi was in the house at the time of the bombing but was not hurt. He said: “The leader himself is in good health. He was not harmed. The wife is also in good health.”
Mr Ibrahim would not give the names of the three children killed, but said they were nieces and nephews of Saif al-Arab and were all younger than 12.
He added: “It seems there was intelligence that was leaked. They knew about something. They expected him for some reason. But the target was very clear, very, very clear. And the neighbourhood, yes of course, because the leader family has a place there, you could expect of course it would be guarded, but it is a normal neighbourhood.
“Normal Libyans live there. This was a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country.”
He said the attacks had no legal, moral or political foundation.
Journalists at the scene reported seeing one unexploded device in a huge crater among the rubble of the house and said the roof had caved in.
It is thought at least three missiles hit the building. A bunker or reinforced cellar underneath the building was also breached.
Col Gaddafi on Saturday refused to give up power but said that he was ready for a ceasefire and negotiations provided NATO “stop its planes”.
Col Gaddafi looked to have been winning with government forces held at bay in the east and around the besieged city of Misrata, while fighting for control of the western mountains.
British Prime Minister David Cameron insisted that NATO’s choice of targets in Libya was “in line” with the Security Council resolution.
He told BBC1’s Andrew Marr Show: “The targeting policy of NATO and the alliance is absolutely clear. It is in line with UN resolution 1973 and it is about preventing a loss of civilian life by targeting Gaddafi’s war-making machine.” – Daily Mail-HR.
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