GADDAFI'S REVENGE; BLOODY BACKLASH AGAINST LIBYA PROTESTERS.(News)

Byline: RAYMOND HAINEY

COLONEL Gaddafi's hated militia killed 15 at a funeral and massacred dozens of others as the bloodbath in Libya continued yesterday.

It came as protesters returned to the streets for the fifth straight day, calling for an end to the dictator's 42-year iron rule.

At the end of the day, the brutal crackdown left at least 84 lying dead in the streets.

Yesterday, as Gaddafi had internet services switched off throughout the country, snipers fired on thousands gathered in Benghazi to mourn 35 protesters shot dead on Friday.

A hospital official said 15 people were killed, including one man who was apparently hit in the head with an antiaircraft missile.

These weapons were said to have been brought in to intimidate the population as anger boiled over.

A senior official said: "We put out a call to all the doctors in Benghazi to come to the hospital and for everyone to contribute blood.

"I've never seen anything like this before."

Gaddafi had ordered his elite militia thugs, commanded by his son Khamis, to snuff out calls for freedom.

The brutal response came as a wave of protests continued to sweep through the Middle East and north Africa, including Bahrain and Yemen.

Many of the victims in Benghazi had suf-fered gunshot wounds aimed directly at the head and the chest.

Khamis's brigade attacked hundreds of protesters, including lawyers and judges,camped outside the city's main courthouse.

One terrified demonstrator said: "They fired tear gas on protesters in tents . "They cleared the area after many of the protesters fled carrying the dead and injured.

"This is a ghost city - we are all afraid that something big is going to happen in Benghazi."

But demonstrators returned to the square only hours later for a mass funeral for victims.

Around 20 coffins were placed in the main square outside the courthospital house and thousands of mourners attended.

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "Governments must respond to legitimate aspirations of their people rather than resort to the use of force and must respect the right to peaceful protest.

"I condemn the violence in Libya, including reports of the use of heavy weapons fire and a unit of snipers against demonstrators.

"This is clearly unacceptable and horrifying.

"Media access has been severely restricted and I have also received reports that 35 bodies were brought to one hospital alone.

"I call on the authorities to stop using force and to rein back the army in confronting the demonstrators.

"The absence of TV cameras does not mean the attention of the world should not be focused on the actions of the Libyan government."

Demonstrators across Libya also called for change, but in the capital Tripoli - Gaddafi's stronghold - demos were staged in support of his regime.

SUNDAY EMAIL reporters@sundaymail.co.uk

CAPTION(S):

Dictator: Gaddafi has clamped down on his own people who want an end to his 42-year rule