BY:
Islamist militias in Libya took control of nearly a dozen
commercial jetliners last month, and western intelligence agencies
recently issued a warning that the jets could be used in terrorist
attacks across North Africa.
Intelligence reports of the stolen jetliners were distributed within
the U.S. government over the past two weeks and included a warning that
one or more of the aircraft could be used in an attack later this month
on the date marking the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist
attacks against New York and Washington, said U.S. officials familiar
with the reports.
“There are a number of commercial airliners in Libya that are
missing,” said one official. “We found out on September 11 what can
happen with hijacked planes.”
The official said the aircraft are a serious counterterrorism concern
because reports of terrorist control over the Libyan airliners come
three weeks before the 13th anniversary of 9/11 attacks and the second
anniversary of the Libyan terrorist attack on the U.S. diplomatic
compound in Benghazi.
Four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, were killed
in the Benghazi attack, which the Obama administration initially said
was the result of a spontaneous demonstration against an anti-Muslim
video.
A senior State Department counterterrorism official declined to comment on reports of the stolen jetliners.
A second State department official sought to downplay the reports. “We can’t confirm that,” he said.
Meanwhile, officials said Egyptian military forces appear to be
preparing to intervene in Libya to prevent the country from becoming a
failed state run by terrorists, many with ties to al Qaeda.
Libya remains an oil-rich state and if the country is taken over
completely by Islamist extremists, U.S. counterterrorism officials
believe it will become another terrorist safe haven in the region.
The officials said U.S. intelligence agencies have not confirmed the
aircraft theft following the takeover of Tripoli International Airport
in late August, and are attempting to locate all aircraft owned by two
Libyan state-owned airline companies, as security in the country
continued to deteriorate amid fighting between Islamists and
anti-Islamist militias.
CONTINUED HERE: http://freebeacon.com/national-security/missing-libyan-jetliners-raise-fears-of-suicide-airliner-attacks-on-911/
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