Posted on 03/23/2011 3:58:35 PM PDT by tsowellfan
Al Qaida commander backs Libyan rebels in message
Abu Yahya al-Libi urges anti-Gaddafi forces not to retreat; reports of mutiny among Gaddafi forces slowing attack on rebel-held Misrata.
A senior member of al Qaida urged Libyan rebels to continue their fight against Muammar Gaddafi and warned of the consequences of defeat, in a videotaped message posted on Jihadi websites, the Qatar-based Gulf News reported on Sunday.
The message from Libya native, Abu Yahya al-Libi, marked the first time a top ranked al Qaida commander had commented on the uprising in Libya. Gaddafi has repeatedly blamed al Qaida for inciting the unrest against him.
“The Libyan people have suffered at the hands of Gaddafi for more than 40 years ... He used the Libyans as a testing ground for his violent, rambling and disgusting thoughts,” Abu Yahya stated.
He warned that "Retreating will mean decades of harsher oppression and greater injustices than what you have endured.”
Abu Yahya also accused the West, and the US in particular, of having supported oppresive Arab regimes at the expense of the people.
The taped message could not be independently authenticated, according to the Gulf Times report.
An assault on Libya's rebel-held city of Misrata was stalled on Sunday by renewed fighting between members of Muammar Gaddafi's security forces, rebels said, but the government denied reports of a mutiny.
Residents said fighting broke out on Saturday after some units of the Libyan leader's force refused to attack Misrata, Libya's third-biggest city and the only place in the west of the country still openly defying Gaddafi's rule.
The reports of a mutiny could not be verified because Libyan authorities have not allowed reporters access to the city of 300,000 which is 200 km (130 miles) east of the capital.
"From the early morning they (the security forces) are fighting among each other. We hear the fighting," Mohammed, one of the rebel fighters, told Reuters by telephone on Sunday.
"This division between them came to us from God. Just when we thought the end was coming, this happened. Now we are waiting to see what will happen."
MUTINY REPORTS "RUBBISH"
Asked about reports of a mutiny in Misrata, government spokesman Mussa Ibrahim said: "This is rubbish. It is not true."
"The army has surrounded the centre of Misrata. They are in the city. Tribal elders are talking to them (the rebels) to surrender," he said in Tripoli.
Click for full Jpost coverage of turmoil in the Middle East
Misrata residents said they could hear the sound of heavy fighting from a military airfield to the south of the town, where pro-Gaddafi forces have been based. They said there were no clashes between rebels and security forces on Sunday.
"They (Gaddafi's forces) are still fighting each other. The shelling hit a house and a shop in southern Misrata, I don't know whether there are any casualties," said rebel spokesman Gemal.
He said shops in the city were open as normal, but added: "Of course there is tension as everybody is waiting to see what will happen."
“never let a crisis go to waste”: Al rham emanuel qaeda and the shariah democrates swines of hell.
Is this just swell?
O-bomb-a is turning Libya over to Al Qaida.
Here in the USA, we already know. You can have him back, AQ.
This is what happens when you enter a war unprepared and without a clear understanding of the players. The only power players who have yet benefitted from these Middle East uprisings have been our enemies - the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, pro-Iran Shi’ites in Bahrain, and now jihadists of one stripe or another in Libya.
Now we have to bomb all of them.
That’s just perfect. Leave it to Brackets to pick the wrong team.
If Gadaffi remains in power it will be a defeat for the USA (given that Obama stated Gadaffi must go)
Short of that we are defeated in the eyes of the world by Gadaffi and it will be the legacy of Obama's first term.
The last thing Obama wants is to see campaign ads on TV with video showing Obama stating the war goal as "Gadaffi has to go" and then the next scene with Gadaffi laughing and saying "I'm still here, my son".
This could be the defeat of Obama in 2012. Surely he does not want that.
Well yeah. Isn't that the REAL reason for this whole debacle? obambi just can't say it.
But Libya is a big country - perfect country to hand over to Al Qaeda - great 'base' to reestablish the CALIPHATE.
Haven't we yet learned that whatever obambi does, - WATCH THE OTHER HAND!
We need a graphic of Obama's NCAA brackets where Libya and Al Qaeda are the top two teams and Obama picks AQ to win it all.
Well duh, Ohbamma’s plan..
Momma’s Boy Obama is giving al Qaida air support?
nay,w/ respect... we need to get out, save our money and build our country up, and kill the beast federal g, I no longer care about our image, just make a promise, if you attack us we bomb you into dust, make the rest of the world do for themselves
AQ is a bit late to the party and does not have much of a presence in Libya. FReepers who actually believe that this is an Islamic radical revolution are naive if they allow themselves to be duped by AQ this easily.
AQ will wait to move in until Kadaffy is out of the picture, just like they did in Iraq.
In Iraq they had leverage: huge US presence and a rivalry between Sunni and Shiite to exploit. In Libya everyone is Sunni and the rebels are numerically far stronger than the Qadaffi loyalists. Far fewer ideological footholds for them.
Even the sound-bytes “Gaddaffi must go” and “We aren’t there to remove Gaddaffi” should come back to haunt Zeroman.
If the republicans have the spine to use them.
Ummm - let me see if I have this right.
obummer has - for reason NOT as he states (not that he's been able to really say) attacks a sovereign country having a civil war - but threatening no other country, including us...but because he has, we have to see it through so that HE won't lose face? So we should spend millions and millions of dollars to save HIM and help him turn a whole country over to Al Qaeda?
Which will hurt us - and the world - more in the long run? Quadaffi stays in power and laughs at us - or a large country gets gifted to Al Qaeda as base from which to establish and spread the CALIPHATE?
ummmm - hard choice - NOT.
I pray Congress will get back to town and do the right thing.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.