RAF flies £140m unfrozen cash assets to Libya

[Gerald]

The RAF has flown £140m of Libyan banknotes (280m Libyan dinars) to Libya after an assets freeze aimed at Col Muammar Gaddafi was lifted.

The cash, printed in the UK, is the first tranche of £950m that will be handed to Libya's Central Bank.

A Whitehall official said the money should be available for cash machines and banks in Libya very quickly.

Meanwhile, the BBC has learned that David Cameron set up a unit to block fuel supplies to Col Gaddafi's forces.

The secret "Libya oil cell" also ensured that petrol and diesel continued to get through to the rebels in the east, BBC deputy political editor James Landale said.

The Whitehall-based unit was made up of a handful of civil servants, ministers and military figures.

It played a crucial role in starving the regime's war effort of fuel while making sure that the rebels could continue taking the fight to Gaddafi, Whitehall officials told our correspondent.

Our correspondent said the unit was the idea of International Development Minister Alan Duncan. He was unavailable for comment on Wednesday evening.

The former oil trader convinced the Mr Cameron in April that part of the solution to the conflict lay in oil, our correspondent said.

One Whitehall source said: "If you didn't have the fuel, you couldn't win the war. So our aim was to starve the west of fuel and make sure the rebels could keep going.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14734420


Note: 1 September 2011 Last updated at 00:42 GMT

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by Vendor

The cash, printed in the UK, is the first tranche of £950m that will be handed to Libya's Central Bank.

A Whitehall official said the money should be available for cash machines and banks in Libya very quickly.

The UK can print dinars? What are they using? David Cameron's inkjet printer?

[Gerald]

Great,

[gimpy117]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

The UK can print dinars? What are they using? David Cameron's inkjet printer?

maybe a piece of paper saying: "we swear this is money": written by hand

[BossMark]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

The UK can print dinars? What are they using? David Cameron's inkjet printer?

More than bloody likely, nothing would surprise what this git is capable of

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Torplexed

The UK can print dinars? What are they using? David Cameron's inkjet printer?

There's a huge industrial unit about ten miles from me printing heaven only knows how many millions per day:

http://www.delarue.com/ProductsSolut...oteProduction/

Rumour has it Monopoly money was used on this occasion

[Herr-Berbunch]

Not the first time millions of whatever currency have been flown by the RAF, probably be the last though - there'll be nobody to take anything anywhere soon!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

Not the first time millions of whatever currency have been flown by the RAF, probably be the last though - there'll be nobody to take anything anywhere soon!

Beat me to it

There's a huge industrial unit about ten miles from me printing heaven only knows how many millions per day:

They are running into big problems though, huge layoffs are on the cards and their hard won reputation has been getting very badly hit.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Tribesman

They are running into big problems though, huge layoffs are on the cards and their hard won reputation has been getting very badly hit.

Ah, right...I wasn't aware.

That's all Gateshead needs right now...huge layoffs of a local workforce.

That's all Gateshead needs right now...huge layoffs of a local workforce.

It was more to do with problems down in Hampshire. But without their reputation for security and honesty it means no more contracts for money or cards, so Gateshead will feel it too.