Showing posts with label Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Libyan Islamic Fighting Group. Show all posts

Thursday, July 09, 2009

Extremist Group Announces Split from al-Qaeda

THE TELEGRAPH: A North African extremist group, whose senior leaders were crucial allies of Osama bin Laden, has denounced terrorism and become the first organisation ever to leave al-Qaeda.

The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG), which once sought to overthrow Col Muammar Gaddafi, dealt a blow to bin Laden by reversing a decision made in 2007 to join al-Qaeda.

A statement from the LIFG leadership criticised "indiscriminate bombings" and the "targeting of civilians", saying that violence "did not achieve the aims of the group in removing oppression".

Al-Qaeda has come under mounting pressure in recent months. Missile attacks executed by American drones in Pakistan's Tribal Areas have taken a heavy toll on its core leadership.

Meanwhile, there are tentative signs of a backlash against bin Laden's ideology in the wider Muslim world. A former extremist leader, Sayyid Imam al-Sharif, better known as "Dr Fadl", has condemned al-Qaeda from inside an Egyptian prison.

The LIFG appears to have judged that the balance of advantage lies with leaving al-Qaeda. Officials doubt whether this will, on its own, have a significant impact on al-Qaeda's ability mount attacks.

But one official pointed out that LIFG figures had "graduated to become major players" in al-Qaeda and the group's withdrawal amounted to a "moral blow" to the network. >>> David Blair, Diplomatic Editor | Thursday, July 09, 2009