US freezes Gadhafi assets, closes Libya embassy

The Obama administration froze assets of the Libyan government, leader Moammar Gadhafi and four of his children Friday, just hours after it closed the U.S. Embassy in Tripoli and evacuated its remaining staff. U.S. officials said announcements of the steps were withheld until Americans wishing to leave the country had departed as they feared Gadhafi might retaliate amid worsening violence in the North African country.

The measures announced Friday ended days of cautious U.S. condemnation of Gadhafi that had been driven by concerns for the safety of U.S. citizens in Libya. They struck directly at his family, which is believed to have amassed great wealth over his four decades in power.

President Barack Obama accused the Gadhafi regime of violating "human rights, brutalization of its people and outrageous threats." In a statement issued by the White House, the president said "Gadhafi, his government and close associates have taken extreme measures against the people of Libya, including by using weapons of war, mercenaries and wanton violence against unarmed civilians."

"By any measure, Moammar Gadhafi's government has violated international norms and common decency and must be held accountable," the statement said. 

He added that the instability in Libya constituted an "unusual and extraordinary threat" to U.S. national security and foreign policy.