Tripoli Makes Peace With Libyan Islamic Fighting Group

A member of al Shoura militant Islamist Internet forum going by the name "Muharib" (Warrior) claimed in a message posted today that he's received information from the "brothers" in Libya that the government is preparing to hold a major event during which reconciliation between the Libyan regime and the Islamic Fighting Group would be announced.

The message, entitled "Bad News From Libya" said that all group members held in Libyan jails would be released during the event.

The leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting group Abu Abdullah al Sadeq had issued a statement on March 10th in which he praised the son of the Libyan leader Seif al Islam al Gaddafi for his sponsorship of the dialogue that was initiated between the group and the government.

The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group was formed in 1995 by Libyan militants who sought to create an Islamic State in Libya upon their return from Afghanistan where they fought alongside the Taliban against the Soviets. Amongst those were senior al Qaeda leader Abu Yehya al Libi and slain al Qaeda commander Abu Laith al Libi.

In November 2007, al Qaeda announced the integration of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group into al Qaeda. The announcement was made by al Qaeda's second-in-command Ayman al Zawahri and then al Qaeda in Afghanistan commander Abu Laith al Libi in a video tape released by the group on the internet.