Valletta, Malta (dpa) – Two Libyan fighter jets flown to Malta by pilots who defied Muammar Gaddafi's instructions to fire on protesting civilians were returned to Tripoli on Wednesday. The Mirage jets were symbolically flown back to Libya by the same two pilots who landed them in Malta unannounced exactly one year ago. Their decision to defect had been the first tangible proof that Gaddafi's regime had embarked on a campaign of violence to silence protesters in Benghazi, a move which eventually led to the implementation of a United Nations no-fly zone over Libya. Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi handed Colonel Abdullah Al-Salheen and Colonel Ali Al-Rabti their helmets, during a ceremony at Malta's airport. Gonzi, who described the ceremony as emotional, said the jets' departure closed an important chapter in the histories of Libya and Malta. “This is a tribute to the courage of those two pilots who were a symbol of the courage of the Libyan people who rose and fought for their freedom,” Gonzi said. Libyan Health Minister Fatima Hamroush thanked Malta for having taken the brave decision to keep the fighter jets in the country during the uprising. The tiny EU state had refused to give landing orders to a delegation from the Gaddafi regime, which wanted to reclaim the jets. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/mVkpR Tags: Defectors, Jets, Malta Section: Libya
