Muammar Gaddafi, the Libyan leader, has said in a speech on Libyan state television that al-Qaeda is responsible for the uprising in Libya.
"It is obvious now that this issue is run by al-Qaeda," he said, speaking from an unknown location. He said that the protesters were young people who were being manipulated by al-Qaeda, and that many were doing so under the influence of drugs. "No one above the age of 20 would actually take part in these events," he said.
"They are taking advantage of the young age of these people [to commit violent acts] because they are not legally liable!" Gaddafi said. He called on Libyan parents to keep their children at home.
The situation in Libya was different to Egypt or Tunisia he said, arguing that unlike people in the neighbouring countries, Libyans have "no reason to complain whatsoever".