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| Africa North |
| Libyan charityÂ’s ship implicated in Benghazi attack on US ambassador |
| 2012-10-31 |
| Libyan-flagged vessel used by a Malta-based humanitarian organisation implicated in a covert US arms smuggling operation to Syrian freedom fighters, A Libyan-flagged vessel which last year was used by a Malta-based humanitarian organisation in supplying a lifeline to rebels in Misurata, has been implicated in a covert US arms smuggling operation to Syrian freedom fighters, which may also be linked to murdered US ambassador Chris Stevens in Benghazi last month. The ship 'Al Entisar' which was chartered last year by I-Go Aid Libya, then run by businessman Mario Debono, has been reported to be linked to last September's attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. A Fox News investigation revealed that shipping records confirmed that the Al Entisar entered the Turkish port of Iskenderun, some 35 miles from the Syrian border, just five days before Ambassador Chris Stevens, and three other US officials were killed during an assault by more than 100 Islamist militants on the US Consulate compound in Benghazi. Another report, this time appearing on the Times of London, said that the Al Entisar was carrying 400 tons of cargo. Some of it was humanitarian, but also reportedly weapons, described by the report as the largest consignment of weapons headed for Syria's rebels on the frontlines. Walid Phares, a Fox News Middle East and terrorism analyst, identified the Al Entishar on a news report aired by the news channel, saying, "this is the Libyan ship... which is basically carrying weapons that are found in Libya." Phares added that the ship came all the way up to Iskenderun in Turkey. "Now from the information that is available, there was aid material, but there were also weapons, a lot of weapons." The cargo reportedly included surface-to-air anti-aircraft missiles, RPGs and Russian-designed shoulder-launched missiles known as MANPADS. The ship's Libyan captain reportedly told the Times of London that "I can only talk about the medicine and humanitarian aid" for the Syrian rebels. It was reported there was a fight about the weapons and who got what "between the free Syrian Army and the Muslim Brotherhood." According to various reports, on the night of September 11 - in what would become his last known public meeting - US Ambassador Stevens reportedly met with the Turkish Consul General Ali Sait Akin, and escorted him out of the consulate front gate one hour before the assault began at approximately 9:35 p.m. Fox News said that although what was discussed during the meeting is not public, "Stevens was in Benghazi to negotiate a weapons transfer, an effort to get SA-7 missiles out of the hands of Libya-based extremists." But although the negotiation was said to have taken place, it may have had nothing to do with the attack on the consulate later that night or the Al Entishar, it could explain why Stevens was travelling in such a volatile region on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Fox News added that a source at the US Congress also cautioned against drawing "premature conclusions" about the consulate attack and the movement of weapons from Libya to Syria via Turkey, noting they may in fact be two separate and distinct events. But the source acknowledged to Fox News that the timing and the meeting between the Turkish diplomat and Stevens was "unusual." |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #7 I am not so sure this is what it seems. Here's a hypothetical: Stevens & CIA were in Benghazi at an unsafe date for some important reason; there are hints that reason was to collect some weapons we would like out of circulation; the cover story given to collect said weapons was to transfer - via this aid ship - to Syrian rebels; when sh*t hit fan cover stories were amateurish and inconsistent; those with inside knowledge have not been aggressive about challenging those stories (including Romney, Wolfowitz & others.) May not be right, but seems to make sense out of what we know, once we decide not to assume the Administration is malicious and totally stupid (sorry, partisans, that is almost certainly a dangerous and stupid assumption.) This story certainly could still be wrong, but tell me where, and why it is more wrong than anything else out there. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2012-10-31 19:14 |
| #6 Excellent point. Yes, I'd wager they were Russian or FSU weapons. Could also offer justification (or panic/fear) regarding the authorization of airborne force interdiction. Aircraft and CAP could have been orbiting at altitude, (safe altitude out of reach of MANPADS). Just a wild guess. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2012-10-31 17:21 |
| #5 Not much thought given to air travel-after Stingers used in A'stan during the Soviet adventure had built-expiration via the battery system. MANPADS were likely being run due to cost and the plausible deniability of supplier. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2012-10-31 17:06 |
| #4 Mujahideen MANPADs supplied by the Klingons broke the back of the Soviets in Afghanistan leading to their withdrawl in 1989. Same plan could have been in store for Assad. The first successful MANPADS attack against a civilian aircraft occurred Feb 1979. The Zimbabwe Peoples Revolution Army shot down Air Rhodesia Flight 827 leaving 59 passengers dead. They are both deadly morale breakers and regime changers. The ends justifies.... sort of weapon. Not much thought given to air travel-after. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2012-10-31 16:55 |
| #3 It is interesting how this gun running operation is now leaking out. If it becomes public then Hilary's hopes of being president are toast. If it comes out quickly, then Obama is toast too. What would be the rationale for arming MB and AQ types in Syria with MANPADS? They could easily be used against a civilian airliner. Nuts. |
| Posted by: remoteman 2012-10-31 13:13 |
| #2 Listening to radio tonight and one report was about the Aus Government making a donation of more than 1/2 million dollars to the Clinton Fund to help establish a carbon trading scheme in KENYA!! When you hear about such nonsense, its time to check what other scamming is going on? It appears Stevens was running weapons for the Syrian rebels. It also seems that the Saudis were paying for the weapons. Who got all that money the Saudis and other Gulf states were paying for? Re-election funds, lining the Clinton's pockets? |
| Posted by: tipper 2012-10-31 09:44 |
| #1 Al Entisar.... "the victory". Flagged as a vessel of the Templar fleet? My neighbor has Lodge tonight, I will ask him. Potentially unrelated, but Wehrmacht General Reinhard Gehlen received the highest honor given by the Knights of Malta shortly after World War II for "services rendered." Gehlen has been credited with helping many former Nazi and SS officers into new positions (Project Paperclip) with the ...... U.S. Office of Strategic Services (OSS). |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2012-10-31 06:56 |