The British government has said it will freeze all assets of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in Britain as part of an international attempt to force the dictator from power, The Daily Telegraph paper said Friday.
Reports say up to 1,000 people have been killed and some 4,000 have been wounded in fighting between demonstrators and pro-Gaddafi forces since protests began in the north African country on February 15.
"The first priority is to get British nationals out of Libya," a Whitehall source was cited by the paper as saying. "But then we are ready to move in on Gaddafi's assets, the work is under way. This is definitely on the radar at the highest levels."
The Libyan regime is thought to have some $32 billion in liquid assets, mostly located in London.
Gaddafi's assets, which are thought to include billions of dollars in bank accounts, commercial property and a $16 million mansion in London, are expected to be seized within days, the paper said.
The United States and the European Union have threatened to impose sanctions on the long-standing Libyan leader. The Russian foreign ministry has described the measure as "ineffective."
MOSCOW, February 25 (RIA Novosti)
