Apparently Christian missionaries should form militias armed with RPGs if they want to avoid being arrested by the Libyan authorities. Somewhat significantly this is taking place in Benghazi, where the law enforcement authorities are supposedly helpless when it comes to Ansar Al-Sharia, which has returned to Benghazi, but are quite capable of arresting Christian Copts.
Voice of the Copts strongly condemns the round-up, detention and presumed torture of Egyptian Copts in Benghazi, Libya being held for allegedly proselytizing Christianity which is illegal in that country. Evidence of such offense is yet unsubstantiated as facts cited by the arresting body keep changing. Furthermore, the charges are highly suspect given they follow recent attacks on a Coptic church. Now after more than a week captive, the Egyptian prisoners from Upper Egypt, who live and work temporarily in Libya, are strongly believed to be denied their human rights in violation of international law.
During the first wave of arrests, security official Hussein Bin Hmeid declared, “Proselytizing is forbidden in Libya. We are a 100 percent Muslim country and this kind of action affects our national security.” The Benghazi attack however does not affect Libyan national security and Ansar Al-Sharia is taking over in Benghazi again, freeing the security officials to focus on arresting Christians.
Ansar al-Sharia is edging back into society, and many of Benghazi’s residents now say they want it here. The militia tentatively resumed its role as guardian of Benghazi’s two main hospitals last week. Its fighters have staked out positions at the western entrance to the city. They have also moved back onto their base, and residents say the group has been participating in community cleanup and charity work. “Desperate times call for desperate measures,” said Jalal al-Gallal, a prominent political activist in the city and a former member of Libya’s transitional government. Ansar al-Sharia has some “hard-liners,” he said, “but they do actually carry out a lot of good work, whether we like it or not.” “The people attacked Ansar al-Sharia a few months ago because they were angry. But now they’re asking them to come back because there is no police and no real military,” said Essam al-Zubeir, a government spokesman in Tripoli.
Finally let’s just recall that Obama lied America into the Libyan War by claiming that we had to save Benghazi. Mission Accomplished.
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