The State of Post-Gaddafi, West-controlled Libya: Islam-Supremacism reigns, Attack on Commonwealth Graves

By Katerina Nikolas

Mar 6, 2012

Ministers in Australia and Canada are appalled by the desecration of Commonwealth graves in Benghazi, as seen in a recent video. They have called for those responsible to be punished for their disgusting acts.

Amongst the graves of British and Italian war dead in the Benghazi War Cemetery vandalized by Libyan Islamic extremists, there are graves of Australian and Canadian soldiers who died in the North African desert battles of the Second World War. According to the National Post a total of 1,214 Commonwealth troops are buried there.

Steven Blaney, Canadian Minister for Veterans Affairs, issued a statement saying "I was appalled and saddened when I heard of the vandalism of the Canadian war graves in Libya. These brave individuals made the ultimate sacrifice in the defence of peace, freedom, and democracy. I have instructed my departmental officials to ensure that repairs are made. Our government will continue to honour our fallen men and women, our veterans and those who continue to serve Canada today.”

Yahoo Au reported Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said "I was disgusted by the attack on Australian war graves. We need to see that investigation come to conclusion because wrongdoers here should be identified and should face appropriate punishments." Libya's Australian Ambassador, Musbah Allafi, said "I would like to stress that these criminals are sick-minded people."

Apologists are blaming the desecration of Commonwealth war graves in Benghazi on Muslim reaction to the Quran burning incident at the Bagrham U.S. base in Afghanistan. However, the pattern of Libya's Sal fist Islamic extremists venting their destructive vandalism on symbols they hold in contempt indicates their latest batch of graveyard desecration is part of a systematic purpose to destroy anything not sanctioned by their interpretation of Islam.

In October armed Islamic extremists from the rebel forces desecrated Muslim graves in several incidents in Tripoli, even digging up the remains of Imans as their ideology was offended by the branch of Islam the graves represented. Such acts should leave the Libyan authorities wary of the possibility that extremists will launch a concerted attack on Libya's national historical treasures, following the precedent set in Afghanistan and the Maldives.

In August 2011 I reported that Libyan rebels ransacked the Church of St George in Tripoli, a Greek church dating back to 1647, the oldest Orthodox Church in North Africa. Prior to the incident the Greek community in Tripoli, comprising approximately 20 families, had not suffered persecution as non-Muslims, and the Greek community was permitted to operate the church freely, with the procession of the Epitaph allowed. Colonel Gaddafi ensured Islamic extremism was controlled and acts of vandalism against churches and graves were not an issue.

Ian Birr ell, writing in the Guardian, blames the desecration on the actions of a handful of misguided fools. This is blatantly not the case. Saif al-Islam Gaddafi was directly responsible for negotiating the release of Islamic extremists from prison, where his father imprisoned them as a direct challenge to his leadership and due to his fear of the rise of extremism with its links to terrorism. These Libyan extremists are quick to denounce and deny any terrorist links but their systematic attacks on symbols they disapprove of could be construed as acts of terror or at the very least the acts of those deranged by their beliefs. They have powerful backers and their leaders could well win high political office in the forthcoming elections.

This opinion article was written by an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily intended to reflect those of DigitalJournal.com

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Source: digitaljournal.com

URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-terrorism-jihad/the-state-post-gaddafi,-west/d/7199