4:43am UK, Saturday July 30, 2011

Al Qaeda was behind the killing of the Libyan rebels’ military chief Abdel Fatah Younes, according to Colonel Gaddafi’s regime.

A government spokesman said the terror network shot dead the general to “mark out its presence and influence” in the east of the country, where the opposition has its power base.

Later, following reports of explosions in capital Tripoli, Nato announced its fighter aircraft had carried out precision strikes on three Libyan television transmitters to silence “terror broadcasts” by the regime.

Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim said other members of the rebel government – the National Transition Council (NTC) – knew about the killing of Gen Younes, “but could not react because they are terrified of al Qaeda”.

Mr Ibrahim also said the killing was proof that the NTC had no power in Benghazi, which is the rebels’ stronghold.

Gen Younes, who had served as Libyan interior minister, defected to the rebels early in the conflict.

The general’s coffin is carried during his funeral

His body was found on Thursday, dumped outside the city, along with the bodies of two colonels who were his top aides. They had been shot and burned.

The NTC said it was investigating the atrocity and has blamed unidentified “gunmen”.

It said Gen Younes was shot as he headed to Benghazi, where he had been summoned to discuss “a military matter”.

But witnesses claimed he was killed by his comrades while in custody after being arrested by the opposition’s leadership on suspicion of treason.

Opposition minister Ali Tarhouni said rebel fighters who were sent to bring him from the frontline near Brega to Benghazi for questioning had been behind the killing.

A militia leader was arrested and had confessed that his colleagues were responsible, Mr Tarhouni added.

Divisions among the rebels would weaken their campaign to oust Col Gaddafi, which has largely stalled despite the four-month Nato bombing campaign against the regime’s forces.

Thousands of people walked behind the victim’s coffin as it was taken to the burial site. They chanted he was a martyr “beloved by God”.

At the graveside, Gen Younes’ son Ashraf cried and screamed as they lowered the body into the ground, and he pleaded for the return of the Libyan leader to bring stability.

Libya’s government has said forces loyal to the leader had killed at least 190 rebels in fighting in the west of the country since Wednesday.