Embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi appeared on state television, saying that foreign elements turned Libyan youngsters against their country.

"It's a small group from Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt and Palestine who entered cities, they entered Zentan, Zawiyah and Benghazi and then what happened?" asked Gaddafi. "They recruited youngsters, juveniles under the age of 20 upon whom the law cannot even apply."

Gaddafi said that the foreign influences "told them to chant, say, 'Allah-u-akbar' (God is great), martyrdom, heaven and this and that and they gave them pills and in some cases they even gave them money."

The Libyan leader said that the young people were with weapons and machine guns.

"The kids were happy with them and that is how things became this bad -- this is what took place," said Gaddafi.

Gaddafi stated that the kids were brainwashed with promises of a path to heaven, claiming that "those who exhibit weakness are targeted."

He listed those "who are deprived in their personality, their education, the way they were brought up or in their family," as targets.

Hours later, in an interview aired by France's LCI television channel, Gaddafi accused Western countries, especially France, of plotting to "colonise" his oil-rich nation.

When questioned on the stand taken by Western powers, and France in particular, Gaddafi said they "want to colonise Libya again", adding: "It's a colonialist plot."

When asked if he envisaged "reprisals" against France, Gaddafi replied: "We'll see."

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