The black flag of Al Qaeda was hoisted in Libya yesterday as Nato formally ended its military campaign.
The standard fluttered from the roof of the courthouse in Benghazi, where the country’s new rulers have imposed sharia law since seizing power.
Seen as the seat of the revolution, the judicial building was used by rebel forces to establish their provisional government and media centre.
Complete with Arabic script declaring ‘there is no God but Allah’ and a full moon underneath, it was hoisted alongside the Libyan national flag.
There are reports that extremists have been seen on Benghazi’s streets at night, waving the Al Qaeda flag and shouting ‘Islamiya, Islamiya! No East, nor West
A sudden lurch toward extremism will alarm many in the West who supported the ousting of Colonel Gaddafi.
It also threatens to embarrass David Cameron who staked his personal reputation on the campaign to free Libya from the tyrant. Nato stuck to its decision to end its seven-month operation despite calls from the National Transitional Council for it to stay longer.
Allies of Nato have been keen to see a quick conclusion to a costly effort that has involved 26,000 air sorties and round-the-clock naval patrols.
The UN Security Council authorised the mission in March to protect civilians in the civil war.
Nato staff temporarily seconded to the headquarters in Naples for the Libyan operation are being reassigned to their regular duties, officials said.
Last week, the country’s interim leader, Mustafa Abdul-Jalil, declared that sharia will be the ‘basic source’ of legislation.
The chairman of the National Transitional Council has also declared the country’s future parliament will have an ‘Islamist tint’.
Sharia law is a form of hardline Islamic rule favoured by fundamentalist groups such as the Taliban in Afghanistan.
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5 Responses
Not to be rude, but ALL the other news outlets, both conservative and liberal, seem to think that the capital of Libya is Tripoli and are reporting on a different group being in charge of the country, with policies that are in matters of Islamic law are not radically different from the previous regime, but without the anti-western support of terrorism. It sounds like a handful of people managed to take over a flagpole in a provincial city.
What is the surprise here?
this is the Islamic version of democracy. Doesn’t Iran call itself a republic?
thank you president obama
Who said Sharia is synonymous with extremism?
Compliments of Obama.
He should move to lIbya and become their new leader. Yes, America desperately needs his skilled and capable leadership, but his Islamic brothers need it even more.