Gaddafi’s whereabouts unknown after allied forces’ strike on compound

The heart of Muammar Gaddafi’s compound in Tripoli lay in shambles yesterday following bombing by the United States and its allies, prompting a debate about whether the allies were trying to kill the Libyan leader.

U.S. Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said neither Gaddafi nor his residence had been targeted. “We are not going after Gadhafi,” he told reporters at the Pentagon. Asked about reports of smoke rising from the area of the Libyan leader’s palace, Gortney said, “We are not targeting his residence.”

The British called off a second bombing run targeting the compound for fear of hitting civilians, a Ministry of Defence spokesman told CNN yesterday, declining to be named in line with British tradition.

The ministry said earlier that Royal Air Force GR4 Tornadoes were told not to launch weapons after “information came to light that identified a number of civilians within the intended target area.” At the time it did not identify the target of the aborted mission.

Gaddafi’s whereabouts — and his plans after promising a “long-drawn war” — remained unknown yesterday.

The U.S. military mission in Libya may have peaked, spokesman Vince Crowley said yesterday.

“We are moving from the action phase to a patrolling phase,” said Crowley, a spokesman for the military’s Africa Command. “Our aircraft participation has… plateaued, if not reduced somewhat.”

A witness in the Libyan city of Misrata reported “absolute destruction and carnage” by Gaddafi forces on Monday — despite the regime’s recent call for a cease-fire.

“Misrata is being flattened and razed to the ground as we speak,” said the man, whom CNN is not naming to protect his safety. “He (Gaddafi) is using tanks and snipers to terrorize the city.”

The man added, “They are shooting people in the main street and on the back street.”

The Libyan military announced the cease-fire after an attack near Benghazi — the heart of the Libyan opposition forces. Coalition forces pounded a Libyan military convoy there Sunday. At least 70 vehicles — including armored personnel carriers and tanks — were destroyed.

British military spokesman Maj. Gen. John Lorimer Monday dismissed the Libyan announcement.

“Although a Libyan cease-fire was announced again there has been no evidence to suggest there has been a change in their stance,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of trying to kill Gaddafi to end his regime, U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said it would be “unwise” to set specific goals.

I think that it’s important that we operate within the mandate of the U.N. Security Council resolution,” Gates told reporters Sunday while on a plane to Russia. “If we start adding additional objectives, then I think we create a problem in that respect. I also think that it is unwise to set as specific goals things that you may or may not be able to achieve.”

The Security Council resolution, which passed Thursday, allows member states “to take all necessary measures to protect civilians under threat of attack in the country … while excluding a foreign occupation force of any form on any part of Libyan territory.”

Gates did not mention Libya in St. Petersburg, Russia, during his appearance Monday with Russian military officials. Russia has been critical of the air bombardment of Libya.

CNN’s Nic Robertson was among several Western journalists taken inside Gaddafi’s bombed compound by Libyan officials to survey the destruction.

Robertson reported a four-story building was heavily damaged. He held a chunk of metal retrieved from the site — with writing in English — that appeared to be from a cruise missile.

A Libyan government official said the building had been used by Gadhafi officials and said there were no casualties from the strike.

The building is about 100 yards from a statue of a golden fist crushing a model plane emblazoned with “USA” — a monument to the 1986 American bombing of Libya in which a U.S. plane was shot down.