Intelligence on Libyan opposition shows "flickers" of al-Qaeda, says top Nato commander

Intelligence on Libyan opposition shows "flickers" of al-Qaeda, says top Nato commander

Intelligence on the rebel forces battling Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has shown "flickers" of an al-Qaeda or Hizbollah presence, Nato's top operations commander has said.

Rebel fighters move under fire from forces loyal to Col Gaddafi near Bin Jawad Photo: REUTERS

6:03PM BST 29 Mar 2011

"We are examining very closely the content, composition, the personalities, who are the leaders of these opposition forces," Admiral James Stavridis said during testimony before the US Senate on Tuesday

Adm Stavridis, Nato's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe and the chief of the US European Command, said that while the opposition's leadership appeared to be "responsible men and women," there were "flickers in the intelligence of potential al-Qaeda, Hizbollah; we've seen different things."

"But at this point I don't have detail sufficient to say there is a significant al Qaeda presence or any other terrorist presence," he said.

He added that there is still no detailed picture of the emerging Libyan opposition,
Telegraph.feedsportal.com