Defiant Gaddafi appears on TV, quashes rumors he has fled

As his four-decade rule of Libya hung by a thread, Moammar Gaddafi appeared on state television on Tuesday, local time, to kill rumors that he has left the country.

The besieged dictator said he wanted to show that he was still in Libya and not in friendly country Venezuela as reported on Monday.

While Gaddafi did not make any substantial references to the bloody struggle taking place around his country demanding his exit, his favorite 'dog' abuse was back with a vengeance.

In the short television appearance in the early hours of Tuesday he said rumors of his fleeing are spread by channels belonging to stray dogs.

I want to show that I'm in Tripoli and not in Venezuela. Do not believe the channels belonging to stray dogs, Reuters quoted him in a report.

The self-styled revolutionary with a caustic tongue has often labelled his worst enemies as 'dogs', or better, 'mad dogs.'

Gaddafi was seen sitting under a large umbrella, leaning out of the front seat of a van, and appeared calm, according to the report.

The footage shot in front of his house was the first such showing him after violent anti-government clashes broke out last week.
Scores of people have died in clashes so far, with pro-government militia targeting protesters in different part of the country.

As violence spread to capital Tripoli and the bloodshed mounted, international pressure mounted on Gaddafi to stop the chaos.