oakiecokie
Well-Known Member
Sky News
16 February 2015, 15:47
Egypt: IS Threat 'Coming Closer To Europe'
Egypt's ambassador to the UK has warned the Islamic State threat is "coming closer to Europe", and claimed there has been a collective failure to "snuff out" the terror organisation.
Nasser Kamel spoke of his concern that the international community was not acting together to tackle the group, after a video purported to show IS-inspired militants murdering 21 Egyptian Christians.
He told Sky News: "We and you and everyone has failed so far to snuff this organisation out. What is happening in Syria and Iraq is now moving to Libya."
He said Egypt had been fighting IS in the country's northern Sinai region, and that they were now taking them on in Libya.
Egypt's retaliatory airstrikes are the first time the country has acknowledged foreign military action since 1991.
On 3 February, the director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) warned Islamic State was "beginning to assemble a growing international footprint".
Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart said Libya was now "an attractive terrorist safe haven".
There are two governments in Libya - the internationally-recognised representatives are in Tubruk, after Islamist groups took over the capital Tripoli.
In 2012, Islamic militants killed the US ambassador and an aide in an attack on the Benghazi embassy - the city is still controlled by militants.
Derna, the town hit by the Egyptian strikes, is home to a group who pledged allegiance to IS in October, parading through the town in a show of strength.
There were a number of reported beheadings in the city at the end of 2014.
The Islamic State-inspired combatants have claimed responsibility for a number of attacks in Tripoli this year, including an attack on the Corinthia Hotel which killed nine people, including five foreigners.
The latest video from the group claims to be filmed west of Tripoli.
:: Egypt's Two Fronts
Egypt's response to the murder of the 21 Coptic Christians has been to launch airstrikes against the militants.
It means President Abdel Fattah al Sisi has opened a second front against fighters linked to IS.
The Egyptian army has long been involved in fighting the Sinai Province militant group in the east of Egypt.
Previously known as Ansar Beit al Maqdis, the group renamed itself Sinai Province when it aligned with IS in November 2014.
Its earlier attacks were aimed at Israel, including attacks on the country's gas infrastructure and border patrols.
However, after the revolution in Cairo, attacks became more violent and targeted on Egyptians. In September 2013, they attempted to assassinate the interior minister.
Towards the end of 2014, the group rebranded its social media to suggest they were the local affiliate of Islamic State.
In a message posted in November, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi referred to Sinai as an area under the group's control, going as far to say he would appoint a leader for the region.
:: Foreign Fighters In Syria and Iraq
IS factions in Libya have been bolstered by fighters returning from Iraq and Syria.
There are reports that up to 300 Libyan fighters were part of the al Battar Brigade who were key in the Islamic State advance into cities such as Mosul.
The group warned that "heads would be cut off, stomachs slit and Libya filled with graves" when they returned from Syria in the summer of 2014.
The group's latest video features a militant with a North American accent warning the group "are south of Rome on the land of Islam, Libya, sending another message".
It is unclear who the militant is, or if he even was actually standing on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Militants are now secure in a number of locations along the Libyan coast.
The Italian coastguard has been inundated with refugees from Libya, with another 2,000 rescued over the weekend.
Egypt's ambassador is not the only person calling for greater action against militants in the country.
There have also been calls from Libya's Prime Minister, as well as comments from leaders in the United Arab Emirates supporting Egypt's airstrikes.
16 February 2015, 15:47
Egypt: IS Threat 'Coming Closer To Europe'
Egypt's ambassador to the UK has warned the Islamic State threat is "coming closer to Europe", and claimed there has been a collective failure to "snuff out" the terror organisation.
Nasser Kamel spoke of his concern that the international community was not acting together to tackle the group, after a video purported to show IS-inspired militants murdering 21 Egyptian Christians.
He told Sky News: "We and you and everyone has failed so far to snuff this organisation out. What is happening in Syria and Iraq is now moving to Libya."
He said Egypt had been fighting IS in the country's northern Sinai region, and that they were now taking them on in Libya.
Egypt's retaliatory airstrikes are the first time the country has acknowledged foreign military action since 1991.
On 3 February, the director of the US Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) warned Islamic State was "beginning to assemble a growing international footprint".
Lieutenant General Vincent Stewart said Libya was now "an attractive terrorist safe haven".
There are two governments in Libya - the internationally-recognised representatives are in Tubruk, after Islamist groups took over the capital Tripoli.
In 2012, Islamic militants killed the US ambassador and an aide in an attack on the Benghazi embassy - the city is still controlled by militants.
Derna, the town hit by the Egyptian strikes, is home to a group who pledged allegiance to IS in October, parading through the town in a show of strength.
There were a number of reported beheadings in the city at the end of 2014.
The Islamic State-inspired combatants have claimed responsibility for a number of attacks in Tripoli this year, including an attack on the Corinthia Hotel which killed nine people, including five foreigners.
The latest video from the group claims to be filmed west of Tripoli.
:: Egypt's Two Fronts
Egypt's response to the murder of the 21 Coptic Christians has been to launch airstrikes against the militants.
It means President Abdel Fattah al Sisi has opened a second front against fighters linked to IS.
The Egyptian army has long been involved in fighting the Sinai Province militant group in the east of Egypt.
Previously known as Ansar Beit al Maqdis, the group renamed itself Sinai Province when it aligned with IS in November 2014.
Its earlier attacks were aimed at Israel, including attacks on the country's gas infrastructure and border patrols.
However, after the revolution in Cairo, attacks became more violent and targeted on Egyptians. In September 2013, they attempted to assassinate the interior minister.
Towards the end of 2014, the group rebranded its social media to suggest they were the local affiliate of Islamic State.
In a message posted in November, Abu Bakr al Baghdadi referred to Sinai as an area under the group's control, going as far to say he would appoint a leader for the region.
:: Foreign Fighters In Syria and Iraq
IS factions in Libya have been bolstered by fighters returning from Iraq and Syria.
There are reports that up to 300 Libyan fighters were part of the al Battar Brigade who were key in the Islamic State advance into cities such as Mosul.
The group warned that "heads would be cut off, stomachs slit and Libya filled with graves" when they returned from Syria in the summer of 2014.
The group's latest video features a militant with a North American accent warning the group "are south of Rome on the land of Islam, Libya, sending another message".
It is unclear who the militant is, or if he even was actually standing on the shores of the Mediterranean.
Militants are now secure in a number of locations along the Libyan coast.
The Italian coastguard has been inundated with refugees from Libya, with another 2,000 rescued over the weekend.
Egypt's ambassador is not the only person calling for greater action against militants in the country.
There have also been calls from Libya's Prime Minister, as well as comments from leaders in the United Arab Emirates supporting Egypt's airstrikes.
