Militants participated in the 2011 libyan civil war as the libyan islamic movement alharakat alislamiya allibiya, and are involved in the libyan civil war as members of the libya. The cia arrested him after his escape from kandahar, interrogated and extradited to libya. They dont have any intention of fighting the west or europe. Belhaj was previously the commander of the libyan islamic fighting group, which was associated with alqaeda in the past, maintained training bases in afghanistan before the 911 attacks, and was. The libyan islamic fighting groups unification with alqaida and its apparent decision to prioritize providing logistical support to the islamic state of iraq. The second libyan civil war is an ongoing conflict among rival factions seeking control of libya. The cia arrested him after his escape from kandahar, interrogated and extradited to libya in 2002 charging with terrorism. How mi6 deal sent family to gaddafis jail uk news the.
In benghazi the february 17 brigade was a powerful islamist group composed of 12 different brigades. According to felter and fishman, the apparent surge in libyan recruits traveling to iraq may be linked the libyan islamic fighting groups lifg increasingly cooperative relationship with alqaeda, which culminated in the lifg officially joining alqaeda on november 3, 2007. The majority of islamist forces, whether from the libyan muslim. Among them was abd albaset azzouz, a fatheroffour from manchester, who left britain to run a terrorist network in libya overseen by ayman alzawahri, osama bin laden s successor as. Uk government harbored terrorists linked to manchester blast.
The libyan islamic fighting group from alqaida to the. Jun 03, 2017 the libyan islamic fighting group was banned in britain in 2005 after blairs deal in the desert with qadafi in 2004, when blair agreed to crack down on libyan dissidents in the uk. Although the libyan islamic fighting group lifg did not officially announce its formation until 1995, the roots of the movement are closely linked to the first group of libyans who fought and declared their jihad against libyan president muammar. Libyan islamic movement alharakat alislamiya allibiya formerly known as the libyan islamic fighting group lifg also known as aljamaa alislamiyyah almuqatilah bilibya arabic. Salafijihadis have maintained an active presence in libya due to a mix of push and.
If somebody is killing because of extreme advocacy, they are not only blind but they also lack empathy. The libyan islamic fighting group was formed in 1995 with the goal of ousting colonel qaddafi. Although islamists are present in the newlyelected general national congress, they are just one force among many competing in the political continued. The libyan islamic fighting group was officially welcomed into the al qaeda fold by al qaedas second in command ayman al zawahri and al qaeda in afghanistan commander abu laith al libi in a statement released on the internet.
Spooks, torture, oil and warhow the british state brought. Founded after the antisoviet jihad, the lifg attempted to overthrow the qadhafi regime in the mid1990s but began to move away from armed conflict in 2006. The head of the prison is the leader of lifg, abdul hakiem belhadj. The former members of the libya islamic fighting group lifg are now portrayed as prodemocracy activists who have assumed leadership positions in several rebel brigades. Mccain was not only rhetorically supporting listed terrorists, but calling for material support. Driven into the mountains or exile by libyan security. Others returned home to form the libyan islamic fighting group, which led a. Libyan fighting group definition of libyan fighting. Fto designations play a critical role in our fight against terrorism and are an effective means of curtailing support for terrorist activities and pressuring groups to. Even as mccain deceived the world with his comments in pursuit of overthrowing and destroying the sovereign nationstate of libya, it was already a matter of record, according to americas own west point combating terrorism center, that benghazi, and much of eastern libya known as cyrenaica, served as an epicenter for global al qaeda recruitment. During the libyan conflict in 2011 the british government was in. Once nato enemies in iraq and afghanistan, now nato allies in. Insurgency, the backgrounder uzbek militancy in pakistans tribal region, as well as briefs on the islamic movement of uzbekistan and the libyan islamic fighting group. Libya held elections in 2012 for the general national congress, the centerpiece of new parliamentary rule.
The growing libyan contingent in iraq is a worrying sign for libyan leader moammar gadhafi, who now faces the challenge of keeping battlehardened libyan iraq veterans at bay. One of the most prominent was the watan party led by abdelhakim belhadj, the former leader of the libyan islamic fighting group who was imprisoned under qaddafi. In early 2011, in the wake of the libyan revolution and the fall of qadhafi, lifg members created the lifg successor group, the libyan islamic movement for change limc, and became one of many rebel groups united under the umbrella of the opposition leadership known as the transitional national council. Former emir of the libyan islamic fighting group who is now a leader of libyas salafist alwatan political party. Military academy at west point released a report dec. One group, the libyan fighting group, claimed to have afghan veterans in its ranks, a reference to mujahedeen who took part in the ciabacked antisoviet war in afghanistan in the 1980s, as. One example of activism in benghazi was in 2006 when protests against the danish cartoon portrayals of the prophet mohammed turned into antigaddafi protests. According to a 2007 report by west points combating terrorism centers center, the article added, the libyan city of benghazi was one of al qaedas. Before coming to isw, david worked as a research intern at the potomac institute for policy studies and the center for security policy. Detainees from groups such as the libyan islamist fighting group lifg, known locally as aljamaa allibiya almuqatila, a jihadist group whose leadership comprises afghanistan veterans from both the antisoviet jihad and taliban periods, were released during the uprising. Belhaj is wellknown to the cia and western governments. Libyan islamic fighting group lifg terrorist groups trac.
The battle between the fighting islamic group and the libyan regime from the tactical and practical level relies on armed activity, that is, jihad in the path of allah. Foreign terrorist organizations united states department of. The libyan islamic fighting group lifg, also known as aljamaa alislamiyyah almuqatilah bilibya was an armed islamist group. Libyan fighting group a libyan terrorist group organized in 1995 and aligned with alqaeda. According to the magazine, the british internal security service mi5 reversed its policy of hostile surveillance of libyan jihadi, many of them living in. Other salafi groups appeared after the fall of gaddafis regime. Foreign terrorist organizations ftos are foreign organizations that are designated by the secretary of state in accordance with section 219 of the immigration and nationality act ina, as amended. Continue reading woman gang raped and mutilated by libyan islamic fighting group. May 03, 2012 a top libyan islamic fighting group lifg leader was reported to have been killed in an ambush by colonel muammar qaddafis forces earlier this month. Libyan fighting group synonyms, libyan fighting group pronunciation, libyan fighting group translation, english dictionary definition of libyan fighting group.
The men mccain was defending were libyan islamic fighting group lifg militants, terrorists linked directly with al qaeda according to west point reports. Libyan islamic fighting group definition of libyan. Sep 09, 2011 a libyan islamist has told how he and his family were imprisoned after being rendered in an operation mi6 hatched in cooperation with muammar gaddafis intelligence services. Islamists emerge in force in new libya the washington post. The libyan islamic fighting group lifg was a sunni opposition group, created in 1995 in libya to overthrow muammar elqaddafi. Libyan islamic fighting group cisac, stanford university. Harati is now commanding a libyan brigade operating inside of syria attempting to destroy the syrian government and. In 2002, an alqaida leader was captured in faisalabad, pakistan, accompanied by at least three lifg operatives and a fourth individual, the. Libyan islamic fighting group lifg, also known as fighting islamic group, libyan fighting group, libyan islamic group, lifg, aljamaa alislamiyyah almuqatilah, aljamaa alislamiyyah almuqatilah bilibya, libyan islamic movement name changed in 2011, alharakat alislamiya allibiya, the libyan islamic killing group is an active group formed c.
Who are the libyan freedom fighters and their patrons. Brotherhood or formerly libyan islamic fighting group or others, were on the side of the tripoli. Ansar al sharia, the abu salim martyrs brigade asmb, the libyan islamic fighting group lifg, and the libyan dawn coalition. Libyan islamic fighting group how is libyan islamic. The libyan islamic fighting group lifg is an alqaida qde. Libya the washington institute for near east policy. A fascinating piece here from middle east eye mee suggesting that last weeks manchester bomb may be the outworking of britains policy to oust the gaddafi regime from power in 2011. Kohlmann with nefa senior analyst josh lefkowitz october 2007 this document is based upon an expert witness report filed on behalf of the scotland yard so15 counter terrorism command and the united. The libyan people, however, appeared to buck the trend of the arab spring by not electing an islamist1 parliament.
Used this torture box to interrogate gadhafis enemies. It was created in 1995 by libyans who had fought in afghanistan. Uk government harbored terrorists linked to manchester. A group of gaddafi dissidents, who were members of the outlawed libyan islamic fighting group lifg, lived within close proximity to abedi in whalley range. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple faq for additional information. Libyan islamic fighting group how is libyan islamic fighting group abbreviated. The roots of jihadi salafism in libya lie in the libyan islamic fighting group, which reevaluated its violent approach through an islamic legal perspective, before the fall of the regime. A libyan islamist group has joined alqaeda, according to an audio message on the internet attributed to the radical networks secondincommand.
Ayman alzawahri purportedly said the fighting islamic group in libya was becoming part of alqaeda. May 24, 2017 a group of gaddafi dissidents, who were members of the outlawed libyan islamic fighting group lifg, lived within close proximity to abedi in whalley range. The lifg leader, known as urwah, was detained in iran in 2004 but allowed to return to libya to participate in the fighting against qaddafis regime earlier this year. Other members of the lifg included abu hafs allibi, who reputedly lived in dublin from 1996 until going to iraq in 2004, where he served as one of abu musab alzarqawis lieutenants in the alqaida group there until his death the same year. Human delivered into enemy hands human rights watch. Founding father of the terrorist emirate of benghazi. A coalition of islamist militias in benghazi, currently fighting operation dignity forces, that was established in june 2014. Uk admits possible contact with exterror group, who. Mar 28, 2011 according to felter and fishman, the apparent surge in libyan recruits traveling to iraq may be linked the libyan islamic fighting groups lifg increasingly cooperative relationship with alqaeda, which culminated in the lifg officially joining alqaeda on november 3, 2007.
Uk authorities sent libyan exiles to topple gaddafi. The report reminded that benghazi has long been associated with islamic militancy in libya, in particular for an uprising by islamist organizations in the mid. However, as you are aware, the word jihad in the path of allah is a broad and general term. The libya shield was based out of mistrata and zaria. Libyan islamic fighting group watches rebellion from afar. Islamist militant groups in postqadhafi libya combating.
The lifg was preceded by a secret libyan group in the 1980s, of which a faction left to fight in afghanistan in the late 1980s. I have just modified 2 external links on libyan islamic fighting group. After erupting in 2014, the conflict is mostly between. Ghouta said recent confrontations in tripoli led to the exit of the groups base from the city, led by khalid alsharif, one of the leaders of the libyan islamic fighting group. Although islamists are present in the newlyelected general national congress, they are just one force among many competing in the political. This is a group that basically carried arms to topple gaddafis regime. The mass release of prisoners during and after the 2011 uprising. Libyan islamic fighting group lifg aljamaah alislamiyyah almuqatila nefa senior investigator evan f. The libyan islamic fighting group lifg, also known as aljamaa alislamiyyah almuqatilah bilibya arabic. Manchester bombing connected to libyan intervention. In western media, you see and hear the libyan rapists and murderers being referred to as freedom fighters. Minister of state for the middle east at the uk foreign office alistair burt has admitted that london may have contacted members of the libyan islamic fighting group and february 17 th martyrs brigade during the conflict in libya.
Among them was abd albaset azzouz, a fatheroffour from manchester, who left britain to run a terrorist network in libya overseen by ayman alzawahiri, osama bin ladens successor as. Libyan islamic fighting group synonyms, libyan islamic fighting group pronunciation, libyan islamic fighting group translation, english dictionary definition of libyan islamic fighting group. This stunning revelation was posted online in a written response to a parliamentary question. Manchester alleged suicide bomber linked to libya islamic. In the 1990s the main armed resistance to qadhafi was the libyan islamic fighting group, whose guerrillas were crushed in a bitter tenyear war in the eastern green mountains. In dabiq magazine, islamic state complains about jihadist. May 30, 2017 the libyan islamic fighting group lifg, an antigaddafi islamist militant group, was formed in 1990 by libyan veterans of war against russia in afghanistan. Prior to the 2011 uprising, the countrys main organized jihadist movement, the libyan islamic fighting group, had already deradicalized and retired. The growing influence of alqaeda on the african continent. The libyan uprisings became extraordinarily violent.
Libyan mahdi alharati of the us state department, united nations, and the uk home office page 5. Usbacked terrorists murder us own ambassador in libya. Harati is now commanding a libyan brigade operating inside of syria attempting to destroy the syrian government and subjugate the syrian population. Facebook sites of ansar alsharia in libya and the group in tunisia appear similar in design and content and also share contacts, suggesting coordination between the groups. A top libyan islamic fighting group lifg leader was reported to have been killed in an ambush by colonel muammar qaddafis forces earlier this month. The organization formed in 1990 to overthrow gadhafi and replace him with an islamist government. Al qaeda continues to consolidate its organization in northern africa. Fighting group lifg played an important role in the recent libyan revo lution. Libyan group seeks transfer of manchester bomber case to icc.
Brotherhood or formerly libyan islamic fighting group or others, were on the side of the tripoli government, and a minority of islamists, mainly from the salafimadkhali trend and former. Today, with grace from god, the muslim nation witnesses a blessed step, zawahiri stated. Britain, qadafi and the libyan islamic fighting group. The libyan islamic fighting group lifg is an alqaida qe. The libyan islamic fighting group from alqaida to the arab spring the libyan antigaddafi group with past links to alqaida has been the focus of british intelligence interest for 20 years. The lifg was formed in the early 1990s in afghanistan, and formally announced its existence in 1995. Jihadisms foothold in libya the washington institute for. Was the manchester bomb blowback from britains war. No one has the right to kill anybody regardless of religion or race or whatsoever. Abu yahya allibi, another libyan, is part of the strategic. In what may prove one of the biggest breakthroughs against islamist terrorism since 911, the libyan islamic fighting group lifg, a militant libyan jihadist group, once allied with osama bin. The exiles were part of the libyan islamic fighting group lifg opposed to the gaddafi government. One individual enroute to the wartorn country was stopped under. Libyan islamic fighting group united nations security council.
Libyan islamic fighting group joins al qaeda fdds long. To allow them to rape freely and kill indiscriminately, the libyan islamic fighting group is supported by nato troops. Libya is now central to the investigation into salman abedi, the 22yearold who bombed manchester arena. How libyan crises could fuel islamic extremism the guardian. The libyan islamic fighting group lifg was a sunni militant organization operating in libya until 2010. In the case of the libyan islamic fighting group lifg, that was simple enough. Lifg did not officially announce its formation until 1995, but the roots of the group can be found. Libya and the manchester connection libya al jazeera. The fighting islamic group federation of american scientists. Libyan islamic fighting group noun the noun libyan islamic fighting group has 1 sense 1. There was also the libyan islamic fighting group and the obaida ibn jarrah brigade which has been held responsible for the assassination of top rebel commander general abdul fatah younis. Omar ashour is a visiting fellow at the brookings doha center and director of the middle east politics. Ansar al sharia is an al qaedalinked jihadist group that became notorious for its role in the september 11, 2012 attacks on.
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