This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/02/briton-found-dead-gunshot-wounds
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Briton and New Zealander shot dead in Libya, reports say | Briton and New Zealander shot dead in Libya, reports say |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The Foreign Office is investigating reports from Libya that a Briton and a New Zealander have been shot dead in the west of the country. | The Foreign Office is investigating reports from Libya that a Briton and a New Zealander have been shot dead in the west of the country. |
| Libyan media are reporting that the pair were found dead near Mellitah, Libya's main gas export terminal on the coast, 60 miles west of the capital Tripoli. | Libyan media are reporting that the pair were found dead near Mellitah, Libya's main gas export terminal on the coast, 60 miles west of the capital Tripoli. |
| A photograph circulating on social media purportedly of the pair shows the bodies of a man and woman in civilian clothes lying face down on sandy terrain. There are reports that a Briton working for the Melittah oil and gas complex is missing. | |
| A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are aware of reports that the bodies of two foreign nationals have been found in Libya and are urgently seeking further information from the authorities." | A Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are aware of reports that the bodies of two foreign nationals have been found in Libya and are urgently seeking further information from the authorities." |
| Reuters reported a Libyan source as saying the dead were a British man and a woman from New Zealand. | Reuters reported a Libyan source as saying the dead were a British man and a woman from New Zealand. |
| The pair were teachers, the Associated Press reported. A Libyan security official told AP the bodies were found next to their luggage near an oil and gas complex. | |
| The official said their belongings weren't stolen and the motive for the killings was unclear. AFP reported that the bodies had been moved to Tripoli. | |
| The discovery of the bodies comes a month after an American teacher at an international school in the eastern city of Benghazi was shot dead while he was jogging. | The discovery of the bodies comes a month after an American teacher at an international school in the eastern city of Benghazi was shot dead while he was jogging. |
| Last week, four American security officers from the US embassy were detained for several hours with weapons confiscated at Sabratha, near Mellitah. The men said they were in the area checking an evacuation route to Tunisia for the US embassy. | Last week, four American security officers from the US embassy were detained for several hours with weapons confiscated at Sabratha, near Mellitah. The men said they were in the area checking an evacuation route to Tunisia for the US embassy. |
| Separately there were reports on Thursday night that two American basketball coaches had been arrested by the army in Benghazi. | Separately there were reports on Thursday night that two American basketball coaches had been arrested by the army in Benghazi. |
| The area west of Tripoli has seen several months of sporadic violence, and Melittah's oil and gas terminals have been affected by a months-long blockade by militias that has shut down the bulk of Libya's oil production since August, starving the government of revenue. | The area west of Tripoli has seen several months of sporadic violence, and Melittah's oil and gas terminals have been affected by a months-long blockade by militias that has shut down the bulk of Libya's oil production since August, starving the government of revenue. |
| Attacks on foreign targets have been frequent but have mostly been confined to embassies. Last year US ambassador Chris Stevens was killed when the American consulate in Benghazi was overrun. Britain closed its own consulate in the city after its ambassador came under rocket attack. | Attacks on foreign targets have been frequent but have mostly been confined to embassies. Last year US ambassador Chris Stevens was killed when the American consulate in Benghazi was overrun. Britain closed its own consulate in the city after its ambassador came under rocket attack. |
| Militia violence across much of the country has prompted many foreigners to leave, and embassies are used to periodic lockdowns such as the one triggered during October kidnapping of the prime minister Ali Zaidan and the massacre of 47 protestors by a militia in Tripoli in November. | Militia violence across much of the country has prompted many foreigners to leave, and embassies are used to periodic lockdowns such as the one triggered during October kidnapping of the prime minister Ali Zaidan and the massacre of 47 protestors by a militia in Tripoli in November. |
| Late last year the Foreign Office tightened its travel advice to Libya, advising against all travel to most of the country, and against all but essential travel to the capital and some coastal areas. | Late last year the Foreign Office tightened its travel advice to Libya, advising against all travel to most of the country, and against all but essential travel to the capital and some coastal areas. |
| Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. | Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |