West Fears ’ISIL’ Plan to Use Libya As A Gateway to Europe
Local Editor
The Daily Telegraph warned Wednesday that the so-called "ISIL" militants are planning a takeover of Libya as a "gateway" to wage war across the whole of southern Europe, letters written by the group's supporters have revealed.
According to its report, the daily stated that "extremists hope to flood the north African state with militiamen from Syria and Iraq, who will then sail across the Mediterranean posing as migrants on people trafficking vessels."
"The fighters would then run amok in southern European cities and also try to attack maritime shipping...The group has already established Libyan-based cells, who on Sunday released a video showing a mass beheading of 21 Egyptian Christian guest workers."
An "ISIL" propagandist, who uses the alias Abu Arhim al-Libim, describes Libya as having "immense potential" for "ISIL". He points out with relish that it is awash with weapons from the Libyan civil war. "Some of those weapons came from Britain, which supplied the Gaddafi regime with machine guns, sniper rifles and ammunition during his final years in power, when he was seen as an ally."
Libim also points out that Libya is less than around 300 miles from parts of the nearest European mainland.
He writes: "It has a long coast and looks upon the southern Crusader states, which can be reached with ease by even a rudimentary boat."
He also cites "the number of trips known as 'illegal immigration' from this coast, which are huge in number ... if this was even partially exploited and developed strategically, pandemonium could be wrought in the southern European states and it is even possible that there could be a closure of shipping lines and targeting of "Crusader" ships and tankers."
The propagandist's comments come amid growing concerns in the West about the collapse of security in Libya, which has a large diaspora population in the UK.
On Monday, John Sawers, the former head of MI6, said that Britain should consider putting ground troops there to stop the country "being exploited by fanatics".
Security officials also share "ISIL's" view about the possibility of using people trafficking boats to smuggle fighters into Europe.
In September, Abu Nabil, an Iraqi and key leader within "ISIL", travelled to the country to build support for the group. His men took control of much of Derna.
Hundreds of Libyans who had travelled to fight alongside ""ISIL" in Syria have started to return to fight for the group on home turf, residents say. They have expanded the group's influence into the east of the country, taking controlling of parts of Sirte, a former Gaddafi stronghold.
Source: Daily Telegraph, Edited by website team
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