Blair seals Gaddafi's return to fold with historic handshake

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair yesterday shook hands with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in the latest stage of the international rehabilitation of the man once branded "the mad dog of the Middle East".

After two hours of talks in a tent outside the Libyan capital Tripoli, Mr Blair said he wanted to offer Col Gaddafi "the hand of friendship" following his decision to give up weapons of mass destruction and renounce terrorism.

Mr Blair admitted it felt "strange" to be visiting a state which was a pariah for decades because of its involvement in atrocities including the bombing of Pan-Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, the murder of policewoman Yvonne Fletcher and supply of arms to the IRA.