Al Qaeda Confirms its Role with Libya Rebels

By Jane Jamison

This story comes from Georges Malbrunot Le Figaro blog, translated by Google.
Al Qaeda has offices in Libya: Doesn’t Want U.S., NATO “Help”
It was arguably obvious before the United States undertook “humanitarian” war in Libya that Al Qaeda was behind the Libyan rebels trying to out Muammar Gaddafi.
Al Qaeda’s leadership of the rebels is unquestioned now.  The terrorist organization has confirmed which Libyan cities where it maintains “offices” (emirates.)  It also says quite vehemently that it does not appreciate U.S., French and NATO involvement and would prefer to die as “martyrs” rather than work with the “Crusaders.”
Further, it is confirmed now by Al Qaeda, that Col. Abdel-Hakim al-Hasidi, who recently gave an extended interview to the U.K. Telegraph, is an Al Qaeda imam operating out of Derna.  [In the interview, Al-Hasidi had admitted recruiting at least 25 Al Qaeda to Dernah. The article described him as a member of “LIFG” Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, a branch of Al Qaeda.]
This open admittance of Al Qaeda involvement in and goals for Libya come from an interview with Abi Saleh Mohammed with a Saudi newspaper, translated and reported by Georges Malbrunot  at Le Figaro blog:
The media officer in the North African branch of al-Qaeda gave an interesting interview with the Saudi newspaper Al-Hayyat published in London.
Abi Saleh Mohammad said there that the terrorist organization has offices (the emirates in the language of al-Qaeda) in Benghazi, Al Bayda, Al Marj, and especially Dernah Shihata.
“We are especially present at Dernah where Sheikh Abdul Hakim is our Emir and where he trained – along with other brothers – an Islamic council to govern the city under the Sharia, Islamic law, said Mohammad Abi Saleh .
To the east of Libya, the host city of al-Qaida correspond to the main strongholds of the rebels, backed by the Western coalition. The head of al-Qaida also confirms that the terrorist organization has recently acquired weapons, “to protect our soldiers and to defend the banner of Islam.” Dignitaries Algeria and Chad had been worried about such arms transfers to al-Qaida.
This implementation of al-Qaeda in Libya is the origin of Western reservations about the delivery of arms to the rebels, who are struggling to dislodge Colonel Gaddafi in Tripoli power. We reported in early April, recalling the high proportion of Libyan jihadists went to fight U.S. troops in Iraq (see note 2 April).
Asked whether foreign intervention in Libya was positive and helped to prevent the forces from committing a massacre Gaddafi in Benghazi, the representative of al-Qaeda responds unequivocally:
“It is always better to die a martyr rather than seek help from the Crusaders. If the rebels had waited a little, Gaddafi’s troops were defeated. We do not consider foreign intervention in Libya as positive. Criminals (loyal to Qadhafi, ed) and the unholy alliance (forged between the National Transitional Council, recognized by France in particular, note) are our enemies, and we can beat them.”