Gadhafi speaks to supporters; guns fired

TRIPOLI, Libya, Feb. 25 (UPI) -- Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, fist pumping in the air, vowed Friday to remain in office in a speech to supporters in Tripoli's Green Square.

Footage of his speech broadcast by Libya's state-run television indicated the defiant leader spoke to supporters Friday, but CNN said it couldn't independently verify when the speech actually occurred.

"Youth, you take your liberty everywhere," Gadhafi said through an interpreter. "Live with dignity. Live with high morals.

"Moammar Gadhafi is one of you," he said, throwing kisses to the crowd. "Dance and sing and be happy."

Thursday Gadhafi blamed the violence in his country on young people, who he said were taking pills and being exploited by Osama bin Laden.

Independent organizations worldwide estimated the death toll anywhere from 233 to more than 3,000.

Witnesses told CNN Gadhafi's forces fired on protesters after Friday prayers in Tripoli. One man said he was among hundreds of people who took to the streets after leaving a mosque and were confronted by armed men in civilian clothes.

"They start shooting at us randomly. We throw some rocks at them," he said. "They run away, like a few yards back, then they start shooting again, from a distance."

Opponents of the regime had called for a rally Friday in Green Square. It was unclear whether it took place.

Elsewhere, the opposition began setting up a provisional government in the eastern city of Benghazi, The Washington Post reported.

Gadhafi's forces seemed to have turned back rebels in Zawiyah, 30 miles west of Tripoli, but residents of Misurata, a major town east of the capital, said it was in rebel hands.

U.S. citizens caught in Libya since anti-government protests began more than a week ago were being ferried out of Tripoli to Malta, officials said. At least 300 people were on the ship to Malta and U.S. officials were making preparations for a chartered flight out of Tripoli.

Western leaders worked to address the violent and disintegrating situation in Libya, CNN reported. The U.S. Treasury Department advised banks to monitor accounts held by the country's key political figures and to report financial transactions "that could potentially represent misappropriated or diverted state assets, proceeds of bribery or other illegal payments, or other public corruption proceeds."

President Obama spoke Thursday with the leaders of France, Italy and Great Britain about coordinating an international response to the crisis in Libya. He also spoke Friday with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the situation, the White House said.

"The president and the prime minister expressed their deep concern about the Libyan government's use of violence against its people, which is completely unacceptable," a readout of the conversation said, "and discussed appropriate and effective ways for the international community to immediately respond."

The leaders also discussed a "range of options that both the United States and Turkey are considering to ensure the security of our citizens in Libya and hold the Libyan government accountable for its actions," the readout indicated.

Amnesty International Friday called on the U.N. Security Council to refer the situation in Libya to the International Criminal Court and impose an immediate arms embargo.

Gadhafi and his Cabinet "have to understand they will answer for their actions," said Salil Shetty, Amnesty International's secretary-general. "They need to see that investigation and prosecution are a reality they will face. This should act as a wake-up call to those issuing the orders and those who carry them out: Your crimes will not go unpunished."

The U.N. human-rights chief also appealed to non-governmental organizations to help end the violence in Libya and to hold the perpetrators accountable, saying the crackdown on protesters is escalating.

"More needs to be done. I encourage all international actors to take necessary measures to stop the bloodshed," Navi Pillay said Friday during a special session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. "Although reports are still patchy and hard to verify, one thing is painfully clear: In brazen and continuing breach of international law, the crackdown in Libya of peaceful demonstrations is escalating alarmingly with reported mass killings, arbitrary arrests, detention and torture of protesters."

Pillay said reports indicate tanks, helicopters and military aircraft have been used indiscriminately to attack the protesters, and, some sources say, thousands may have been killed or injured.