Libya: Jailed Islamic Group 'Preparing' to Renounce Armed Violence

07/07/2008
Libya: Jailed Islamic Group 'Preparing' to Renounce Armed Violence
By Mohammed Al Shafey
http://aawsat. com/english/ news.asp? section=1& id=13323

London, Asharq Al-Awsat- Leaders of the Libyan "Al-Jama'ah al-
Islamiyah al-Muqatilah" [The Islamic Fighting Group] are close to
reaching an ideological consensus that condemns armed violence,
Asharq Al-Awsat has learned.

The new developments are taking shape as talks are held in the
BuSalim Prison in Tripoli between Libyan authorities and the leaders
of the Islamic Fighting Group. In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat,
Numan Bin-Uthman, the former leader of the group disclosed the names
of several leaders of the Islamic Fighting Group that participated
in the current dialogue until his last visit to the BuSalim Prison
last week.

These leaders include Abdullah al-Sadiq, AKA Abdul-Hakim Belhaj,
the "amir" of the group (who was arrested in Tailand in 2004); Al-
Sadiq's assistant Abu-Hazim, AKA Khalid al-Sharif (who was detained
in the Bagram Prison and handed over to Libya two years ago by the
Americans); Abu-al-Mundhir, AKA Sami al-Sa'di, the official in
charge of Shariaa in the group (arrested in Hong Kong in 2004);
Sheikh Miftah al-Duwwadi, alias Abdul-Ghaffar; Abdul Wahab Qayid
Idris, the older brother of Abu-Yahya al-Libi, the Al-Qaeda leader
who is at large in the border strip; and Mustafa Qanfid, AKA Abu-al-
Zubayr, the military official of the Islamic Fighting Group.

Numan Bin-Uthman, the former leader of the Islamic Fighting Group,
fought alongside other Arab fighters in Afghanistan in the 1980s. In
the1990s, he traveled between Iran, Pakistan, and Sudan before
eventually settling in London. In his statement, he stressed that
the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group has practically come to an end at
this time and has no actual presence any more on Libyan soil or
abroad. In the 1990s, the Islamic Fighting Group had a large base of
hundreds of armed fighters in Libya that plotted to overthrow the
ruling regime and replace it with an Islamic state. It is known that
over the past two years, dialogue sessions have been held between
the two sides that resulted in the release of one-third of the
group's members. The Al-Qadhafi Foundation for Development, headed
by Saif al-Islam al-Qadhafi, the son of Libyan leader Muammar al-
Qadhafi, is playing a prominent role in these contacts. It has
recently sought the assistance of a former leader of the Islamic
Fighting Group to move matters forward by providing him with direct
contact with the jailed leaders.

Asharq Al-Awsat has learned that Abdullah al-Sadiq, the amir of the
Fighting Group who is held in BuSalim Prison with the Al-Qaeda
leaders sent a written message a few days ago to Saif al-Islam al-
Qadhafi thanking him for the initiative of opening a dialogue with
the Libyan Islamists regardless of the outcome. Numan Uthman, who
fought against the Russians in Afghanistan, said: "I have been a
party to these contacts from the beginning at the request of the Al-
Qadhafi Foundation for Development and directly through Engineer
Saif al-Islam as well as at the request of the imprisoned leaders of
the group, specifically the group's amir Abdullah al-Sadiq, deputy
amir Abu-Hazim, and Sheikh Abu-Mundhir al-Saidi, the official in
charge of Shariaa. Bin-Uthman described the dialogue with the
leaders of the Fighting Group as a new approach by the state that
was strongly opposed to the fundamentalists after some members of
the Fighting Group participated in an attempt to assassinate Libyan
leader Colonel Muammar al-Qadhafi. He said that what is exciting in
the matter is that the one in charge of the dialogue is Engineer
Saif al-Islam, the son of the colonel himself. Bin-Uthman revealed
that he personally met with some elements inside the BuSalim Prison
that were wearing a red overall, in other words, they have sentenced
to execution. He said that the jurisprudential review includes a re-
diagnosis of reality, especially in light of what he described
as "the American onslaught on the Islamic world while focusing on
the importance of preserving security and stability in Libya". He
revealed that the released fundamentalist members of the Fighting
Group "have been given 10,000dinars each to start a new decent life
and 300 dinars each in immediate assistance from the Prison
Administration on the day they were released". The dialogue sessions
are a new blow to the leaders of Al-Qaeda and to Bin Laden's deputy
Ayman al-Zawahiri who had announced the joining of the Fighting
Group to Al-Qaeda and who is personally in charge of the Libyan
members in the organization. Numan Bin-Uthman also revealed that his
imprisoned comrades in the Fighting Group asked him to convey a
message to a number of Libyan activists abroad to inform them about
the dialogue they are holding with the Libyan security authorities
and also to consult them in any decision they may take. It is
believed that this is the first time that the leaders of the Islamic
Fighting Group try to involve their comrades abroad in their
contacts with the Libyan authorities, particularly since some of
them -led by Abu-Yahya al-Libi - are commanding known armed groups
that are fighting against the US forces in Afghanistan. It is known
that Abu-Yahya was one of four Arab prisoners in the Bagram Prison
that managed to escape in 2005.

In a 20-minute video clip, Abu-Yahya threatened the United States,
saying "We will rub America's nose in the dust. Either we live in
dignity or our fate would be the gardens of paradise". What is known
about Muhammad Hassan Qayid (Abu-Yahya al-Libi) is that he is in his
mid-thirties and has two nicknames Abu-Yahya al-Libi and Yunus al-
Sahrawi. He studied Islamic Shariaa and jurisprudence in Mauritania
and then joined the ranks of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group in
Afghanistan. He is the author of "Al-Ijma Fi Al-Shariaa al-
Islamiyah"[Consensu s in Islamic Shariaa]. He was detained after the
US military operation in Afghanistan in 2001.

He said that the Libyan security authorities are holding the
imprisoned leaders of the Fighting Group responsible for the actions
of the group's elements abroad, particularly if these actions are
related to Libya's security. He adds, however, that the subject of
the participation of Libyans in the fight against the Americans
alongside the Taliban movement was not raised in the dialogue
sessions between the two sides. He added that he believes that the
Libyan security authorities are more interested in any action
against Libya, such as attempts to rebuild the cells of the Islamic
Fighting Group or re-establishing contacts with its supporters
inside Libya. The Libyan Islamist stressed that "the leaders of the
Islamic Fighting Group in prison insist on saying that no one has
the right to talk on its behalf or about its opinions. He said
that "the Libyan security organs are in agreement on one basic
point; namely, preventing or ending any threat to the security of
the state either through dialogue or the authority of the law or by
force".

He added: "Actually, it was the Al-Qadhafi Foundation for
Development that took the decision and embarked on the initiative. I
sensed that myself since I am directly involved in the case.
However, had it not been for the personal involvement of Saif al-
Islam, the dialogue would not have begun and the foundation is eager
to proceed with it".

Bin-Uthman also revealed that Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the Al-
Qaeda organization, used to refuse carrying out any operations
inside Libya or against its ruling regime. He considered Al-Qadhafi
as the best ally against the Americans. Bin Laden preferred to have
Libya act as "a rear front to the jihad in other countries like
Algeria and Egypt". He said that in the mid-1990s.

The leaders of the Islamic Fighting Front used to settle in Sudan
close to the gathering points of the Al-Qaeda organization. He added
that after the Salvation Front took over power in Sudan, Al-Qaeda
provided the members of the Islamic Fighting Group with the required
conditions and a safe haven through which they could act with
relative freedom. He went on to say that circumstances drove the
Islamic Fighting Group to embark on an armed confrontation against
the Libyan government and to carry out several operations that ended
with the dismantling of the group and the detention of most of its
members that are now held in BuSalim Prison.