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This image from the FBI website shows Anas al-Libi. Gunmen in a three-car convoy seized Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, known by his alias Anas al-Libi, an al-Qaeda leader connected to the 1998 embassy bombings in eastern Africa. AP Photo/FBI

Libya demands explanation from US over raid

Libya has asked for clarifications regarding the abduction of an al-Qaida leader in Tripoli.

LIBYA HAS ASKED the United States for “clarifications” regarding the abduction in Tripoli of an al-Qaida leader linked to the 1998 US Embassy bombings in East Africa, adding that Libyan nationals should be tried in their own country.

The government’s reaction came a day after US special forces captured Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, known by his alias Anas al-Libi, in a raid. Al-Libi is on the FBI’s most-wanted list with a $5 million bounty on his head.

Abduction

In a statement, the government said it “contacted the American authorities and asked it to present clarifications” regarding the al-Libi abduction. It also said it hoped the incident would not impact its strategic relationship with the United States.

On Saturday, the US Army’s Delta Force, which has responsibility for counter terrorism operations in North Africa, carried out attacks in Somalia and the Libyan capital, Tripoli.

The attacks struck Islamic extremists who played a role in the bombings of the US Embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and Nairobi, Kenya, on 7 August 1998, that killed more than 220 people.

Terrorism

Al-Libi’s capture represents a significant blow to what remains of the core al-Qaida organisation once led by Osama bin Laden.

The Pentagon’s chief spokesman George Little said Saturday al-Libi “is currently lawfully detained by the US military in a secure location outside of Libya.” He did not disclose further details.

US Secretary of State John Kerry today defended the capture of al-Libi, saying complaints about the operation from Libya and others are unfounded. Kerry said the suspect was a “legal and appropriate target” for the U.S. military and will face justice in a court of law. Kerry added it was important not to “sympathise” with wanted terrorists.

Earlier, Kerry said the raids would send the message that terrorists “can run but they can’t hide.”

“We hope that this makes clear that the United States of America will never stop in the effort to hold those accountable who conduct acts of terror,” Kerry said, from the Indonesian capital of Bali where he is attending an economic summit.

“Members of al-Qaida and other terrorist organisations literally can run but they can’t hide,” he added.

Read: Raids show terrorists “can run but they can’t hide” — John Kerry>

Read: US stages raids targeting Islamist leaders in Africa>

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76 Comments
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    Mute Jed I. Knight
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    Feb 5th 2014, 7:38 PM

    I’m guessing their target audience isn’t rural Ireland???

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    Mute Ina Smidiríní
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    Feb 6th 2014, 1:24 AM

    No they would be talking about places like Africa I presume.

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    Mute SuperFry
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    Feb 5th 2014, 7:47 PM

    Great another reason for people to think I’ll email them back immediately.

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    Mute Gobblor
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    Feb 5th 2014, 8:10 PM

    End world hunger? No! Wifi for all!

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    Mute PerkyBeans
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    Feb 5th 2014, 9:50 PM

    You can download food,
    Torrent a bag of spuds

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    Mute Drew Clarke
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    Feb 5th 2014, 8:31 PM

    please hurry up. I’m being charged e80 a month by onwave for a 20mb connection and I rarely get above 1.5mb. In fact my upload speed is 4 times faster than my download speed 9 times out of ten.

    Someone needs to do an expose on satellite broadband speeds in Ireland. It’s a rip off and needs to be exposed.

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    Mute John Horan
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    Feb 5th 2014, 8:10 PM

    One way, so more like aertel then actual internet then.

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    Mute SuperFry
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    Feb 5th 2014, 8:12 PM

    WAP is back!!

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    Mute John Horan
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    Feb 5th 2014, 10:11 PM

    WAP was still two way. This, like aertel, is one way, so you would receive all the possible pages in one small subset of the internet and hopefully whatever page you want to look at is contained in there.

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    Mute family guy
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    Feb 5th 2014, 8:03 PM

    The mother in laws house has very bad mobile and broadband coverage. Nice to go out there and forget about the phone for a while. This might put an end to this.

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    Mute Gobblor
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    Feb 5th 2014, 9:11 PM

    Or you could just turn it off? DUH!

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    Mute John Swan
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    Feb 5th 2014, 9:38 PM

    What’ll happen to all those fiber optic cables being put in all over the country then? Also, hate to be a stickler about this, but what about the EMF/radiation exposure this would cause? The health implications would really need to be thoroughly and independently investigated.

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    Mute Gabrielle Humphreys
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    Feb 7th 2014, 10:04 PM

    What do you mean John, can you explain to me a wee bit more, gay

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    Mute Alien8
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    Feb 5th 2014, 9:15 PM

    Minimum orbit is 300km, max wifi usually 30m (Max theoretical TDMA range is around 15km). I get the feeling this is an investor trick, but they’ll have to come up with new ideas. Also transmitters for 2 way are over a metre in size for rubbish internet – even Niall Quinn couldn’t sell you that.

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    Mute Daniel Rea
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    Feb 5th 2014, 8:38 PM

    Well if the scientists are right there’ll be no bees left and say goodbye to fertile men

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