Gadhafi breaks silence, taunts NATO

TRIPOLI, Libya -- Taunting NATO, Moammar Gadhafi said Friday that he is alive despite a series of airstrikes, and "in a place where you can't get to and kill me."

Gadhafi had appeared on state TV but had not been heard speaking since a NATO attack on his Tripoli compound two weeks ago, which officials said killed one of his sons and three grandchildren. In a minute-long recording played Friday on Libyan TV, Gadhafi said he wanted to assure Libyans concerned about a strike this week on his compound in Tripoli.

"I tell the coward crusaders -- I live in a place where you can't get to and kill me," he said. "I live in the hearts of millions." He referred to a NATO airstrike Thursday that targeted his Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli, claiming it had killed "three innocent journalist-civilians."

Many people "driven by their love for me put in many calls to check on my well-being after they heard of the cowardly missile attack," Gadhafi said.

NATO shrugged off the statement. "We are not targeting him, our targets are solely military," an alliance spokeswoman said in Brussels.

Hours after Gadhafi's speech, the sound of four explosions -- most likely a NATO strike -- could be heard in Tripoli early Friday.

Government spokesman Ibrahim Uthman said the strikes targeted the Agriculture Ministry. The same building, however, was targeted days ago, and residents said then it was a government intelligence building.

Reporters could not immediately verify the information. They may only leave their hotel in the company of government officials.

Shortly before Gadhafi's remarks were broadcast, regime spokesman Moussa Ibrahim claimed that NATO had attacked Brega while dozens of imams and officials from around Libya were gathered to pray for peace. Ibrahim said 11 imams were killed in their sleep at a guesthouse, and 50 people were wounded, including five in critical condition.

The alliance said it had attacked a military command-and-control center in Brega.

Also Friday, the White House said the United States and NATO will continue military operations in Libya as long as Gadhafi keeps attacking his people, and top U.S. officials met in Washington with leaders of the Libyan opposition.

President Barack Obama's national security adviser, Tom Donilon, met at the White House with a delegation from the Libyan Transitional National Council. While the United States stopped short of recognizing the council as Libya's legitimate government, as France and Italy have done, the administration said in a statement that the council is a "credible interlocutor of the Libyan people." Obama did not meet with the opposition leaders.