Archbishop Martinelli: pray for the people of Libya

(Vatican Radio) Amid reports of an armed attack against Libya’s Parliament and of a surge of fundamentalist violence in the country, the Apostolic Vicar of Tripoli, Archbishop Giovanni Innocenzo Martinelli, is appealing for prayers.

Speaking to Vatican Radio on Sunday evening after heavily armed gunmen stormed into Libya's parliament, Archbishop Martinelli said the violence – which has mainly been taking place in the town of Benghazi – is so far contained.

Archbishop Martinelli was speaking from inside the Catholic Church of Tripoli, where he stayed on with a group of religious after Mass as he says “right now the Church is the best place to be”.

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The sound of shooting could be heard in the background but Martinelli said he had no first-hand account of the violence.

He denounced increasing fundamentalist actions in the nation but was assertive regarding the nature of the people: “the people are peaceful people. They don’t want fundamentalism, they don’t want war. Right now they are watching what is happening”.

“I would like to say our power is in the power of prayer” He said.

“We ask you to pray for Libya because Libya is not a fundamentalist country, it is moderate. And we ask you to be with us through the power of prayer”.

News reports said that details of the armed group were unclear, but a spokesman for retired Libyan general Khalifa Haftar said his irregular forces had carried out the assault as part of his campaign against Islamist militants.


Analysts say that after the ousting of Gaddafi, Libya's weak government and army have been unable to impose state authority over heavily armed brigades of former rebels and militias who have become the North African country's powerbrokers.

New Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeq has formed a government pending parliamentary approval this week, officials said on Sunday, after the country went nearly two months without a
functioning government.