Gravestones are seen damaged by an Islamist group in protest at the burning of the Koran by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, in Benghazi Military Cemetery February 24, 2012ESAM OMRAN AL-FETORI
The young Canadian pilot died fighting in the North African campaign, was buried with military honours in Libya and lay undisturbed for seven decades.
Along with hundreds of other graves honouring those who helped push Nazi forces out of Libya, his memorial survived mercurial former dictator Moammar Gadhafi's rages at the West. But amid the turmoil of the liberated country – in what is said to be revenge for Koran burning in Afghanistan – the headstone of Flying Officer Martin Palmer Northmore was one of more than 200 smashed by a mob.
Recent desecrations at a pair of war cemeteries in the country's northeast are shining an uncomfortable spotlight on the ill will felt by some Libyans for the western backers whose military support helped rebel forces topple Mr. Gadhafi last year.
The attacks occurred more than a week ago but footage posted on YouTube did not begin to be viewed widely until the weekend. In the video, armed men are seen kicking over numerous headstones, at one point singling out one with a star of David on it, and tearing a cross off a war memorial.
Attacked were the Benghazi War Cemetery and the Benghazi British Military Cemetery. The two hold about 1,500 graves and the British Foreign Office reported that up to one-fifth of them had been damaged.
The cemeteries include the remains of Britons, New Zealanders, Australians, South Africans, Indians and others. While it's unclear if the mob was aware of the specific nationalities of the graves they attacked, a Reuters translation of the voices in the video makes clear this was not random vandalism.
One man can be heard saying: "This is a grave of a Christian" as he tore up a headstone. Another voice says: "These are dogs."
The British press is reporting that one grave damaged was that of Flying Officer Northmore, a Torontonian who was serving with the Royal Air Force. According to an obituary reported in the Toronto Star, the young man married before going off to war and died when his fighter plane crashed into the ocean while escorting a convoy. He was 21.
News of the cemetery attacks sparked a wave of outrage in the Western countries that fought in Libya in the 1940s and again last year. Among the many to weigh in was Australian columnist Alan Howe – in a furious piece headlined " So we actually helped these vermin?" – who wrote of feeling ill watching the video.
The Commonwealth Graves Commission pledged to restore all of the markers "to a standard befitting the sacrifice" of the men buried there.
"This could take some time because we will need to source replacement stones," warned the commission, which cares for 1.7-million graves worldwide. "We will also need to be sure that it's safe for the detailed work to be carried out, but in the meantime we will ensure that temporary markers are erected over the graves."
The British Foreign office said that country's ambassador had raised concerns at the highest levels of Libya's government. A spokesperson said that Tripoli "severely denounces such shameful acts and vows to find and prosecute the perpetrators according to Libyan Law."
Oliver Moore