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Will IS use Libya as a gateway to Europe?
 [RFE/RL] On February 15, IS militants in Libya released a graphic new propaganda video. Entitled "A Message Signed In Blood To The Nation Of The Cross", the five-minute long video appeared to show IS militants simultaneously beheading 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians.Following the release of that video, Egypt's Ambassador to the UK, Nasser Kamel, warned that militants in Libya posed a threat to Europe because of its proximity to Italy. He said that the IS could exploit boat routes used by illegal migrants from Libya, assisted by human traffickers. Kamel said, "[There are] boat people who go for immigration purposes and try to cross the Mediterranean. In the next few weeks, if we do not act together, there will be boats full of terrorists also." Italy's Foreign Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, warned on February 18 of a "grave threat" posed to European security by the militants in Libya. He told Parliament that there was an "evident risk" of IS gunmen forging ties with local militias or criminal gangs. Gentiloni said, "We find ourselves facing a country with a vast territory and failed institutions and that has potentially grave consequences not only for us but for the stability and sustainability of the transition processes in neighboring African states." While Egypt's immediate response to the video was to bomb IS targets in Libya, Gentiloni said that the solution was political rather than military. He called on the UN to help find a speedy solution to the situation in Libya. Posted by: ryuge 2015-02-19 |
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