Changes

[[File:Blumenthal Belhadj McCain Graham Feb 2012.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Abdelhakim Belhadj, Sen. John McCain, and Sen. Lindsey Graham. Belhadj, a veteran jihadi, was kidnapped by the [[CIA]] in 2004 and "[[extraordinary rendition|rendered]]" to Libya where he spent 7 years in prison being "rehabilitated." He was released in March 2010 to reactivate the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, of which Ansar al Shariah was part. In August 2011 he was appointed commander of the Tripoli Military Council by the TNC, and in 2015 head of the Mujahideen Shura Council in Derna.]]

[[File:Blumenthal Belhadj McCain Graham Feb 2012.jpg|right|400px|thumb|Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Abdelhakim Belhadj, Sen. John McCain, and Sen. Lindsey Graham. Belhadj, a veteran jihadi, was kidnapped by the [[CIA]] in 2004 and "[[extraordinary rendition|rendered]]" to Libya where he spent 7 years in prison being "rehabilitated." He was released in March 2010 to reactivate the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group, of which Ansar al Shariah was part. In August 2011 he was appointed commander of the Tripoli Military Council by the TNC, and in 2015 head of the Mujahideen Shura Council in Derna.]]

In March 2010 Abdulhakim Belhadj was released from Abu Salim prison in [[Libya]]<ref>http://docslide.us/documents/updated-fact-sheet-may-4-2013.html</ref> after serving 6 years in custody. Belhadj had brought to Libya under the CIA's [[extraordinary rendition]] program in 2004. Belhadj was chased out of Libya by Gaddafi in 1988<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Libya’s rebel leader with a past|author=Vicken Cheterian|journal=[[Le Monde Diplomatique]]|date=May 2012 |url=http://mondediplo.com/2012/05/08libya }}</ref> and arrived in [[Afghanistan]] where he joined the [[Taliban]].<ref name=LeMondeTime>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2091744,00.html|title='We Are Simply Muslim': Libyan Rebel Chief Denies Al-Qaeda Ties|newspaper=Time Magazine|date=4 September 2011|accessdate=}}</ref><ref name="asharq">{{cite news|url=http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=26357|title=From Holy warrior to hero of a revolution: Abdelhakim Belhadj| newspaper=Asharq Alawsat|accessdate=}}</ref> After the Taliban captured Kabul in 1992 he returned to Libya where he and others formed the [[Libyan Islamic Fighting Group]] (LIFG). Belhadj was reported to have followed [[Osama Bin Laden]] when the [[al-Qaeda]] leader moved the center of its operations from Afghanistan to [[Sudan]] in 1996.<ref name=":0">Burr, J. Millard (2014-10-13). "Libya – Ali al-Salabi and the Re-Emerging Muslim Brotherhood." American Center for Democracy.</ref> The relation between LIGF and al-Qaeda was officially confirmed in October 2001, when the UN Security Council designated the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group as a terrorist entity for its association with al-Qaeda, Bin Laden and the Taliban. The [[UN Security Council]] specified that the LIFG relation with al-Qaeda was substantiated through the group’s involvement in  

In March 2010 Abdulhakim Belhadj was released from Abu Salim prison in [[Libya]]<ref>http://docslide.us/documents/updated-fact-sheet-may-4-2013.html</ref> after serving 6 years in custody. Belhadj had brought to Libya under the CIA's [[extraordinary rendition]] program in 2004. Belhadj was chased out of Libya by Gaddafi in 1988<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Libya’s rebel leader with a past|author=Vicken Cheterian|journal=[[Le Monde Diplomatique]]|date=May 2012 |url=http://mondediplo.com/2012/05/08libya }}</ref> and arrived in [[Afghanistan]] where he joined the [[Taliban]].<ref name=LeMondeTime>{{cite news|url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2091744,00.html|title='We Are Simply Muslim': Libyan Rebel Chief Denies Al-Qaeda Ties|newspaper=Time Magazine|date=4 September 2011|accessdate=}}</ref><ref name="asharq">{{cite news|url=http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=26357|title=From Holy warrior to hero of a revolution: Abdelhakim Belhadj| newspaper=Asharq Alawsat|accessdate=}}</ref> After the Taliban captured Kabul in 1992 he returned to Libya where he and others formed the [[Libyan Islamic Fighting Group]] (LIFG). Belhadj was reported to have followed [[Osama Bin Laden]] when the [[al-Qaeda]] leader moved the center of its operations from Afghanistan to [[Sudan]] in 1996.<ref name=":0">Burr, J. Millard (2014-10-13). "Libya – Ali al-Salabi and the Re-Emerging Muslim Brotherhood." American Center for Democracy.</ref> The relation between LIGF and al-Qaeda was officially confirmed in October 2001, when the UN Security Council designated the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group as a terrorist entity for its association with al-Qaeda, Bin Laden and the Taliban. The [[UN Security Council]] specified that the LIFG relation with al-Qaeda was substantiated through the group's involvement in  

{{Quotebox|"the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of," "supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel to" or "otherwise supporting acts or activities of" Al-Qaida [...], Usama bin Laden and the Taliban."<ref>https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/entity/libyan-islamic-fighting-group</ref> }}In 2002 an arrest warrant was issued for Belhadj by the Libyan authorities after Gaddafi's reconciliation with Western powers and three assassination attempt's on Gaddafi's life by the LIFG. The arrest warrant alleged that Belhadj had developed "close relationships" with al-Qaeda leaders, and specifically Taliban chief Mullah Omar, and to have run and financed training camps for Arab mujahideen fighters.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14786753|title=Profile: Libyan rebel commander Abdel Hakim Belhaj|newspaper=BBC News|date=5 September 2011|accessdate=}}</ref> After the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, Belhadj fled and was arrested in [[Malaysia]] in 2004 where he was rendered by the CIA to Libya.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Special report: Rendition ordeal that raises new questions about secret trials |author=Ian Cobain|newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 April 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/apr/08/special-report-britain-rendition-libya}}</ref>

{{Quotebox|"the financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating of acts or activities by, in conjunction with, under the name of, on behalf or in support of," "supplying, selling or transferring arms and related materiel to" or "otherwise supporting acts or activities of" Al-Qaida [...], Usama bin Laden and the Taliban."<ref>https://www.un.org/sc/suborg/en/sanctions/1267/aq_sanctions_list/summaries/entity/libyan-islamic-fighting-group</ref> }}In 2002 an arrest warrant was issued for Belhadj by the Libyan authorities after Gaddafi's reconciliation with Western powers and three assassination attempt's on Gaddafi's life by the LIFG. The arrest warrant alleged that Belhadj had developed "close relationships" with al-Qaeda leaders, and specifically Taliban chief Mullah Omar, and to have run and financed training camps for Arab mujahideen fighters.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14786753|title=Profile: Libyan rebel commander Abdel Hakim Belhaj|newspaper=BBC News|date=5 September 2011|accessdate=}}</ref> After the US invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, Belhadj fled and was arrested in [[Malaysia]] in 2004 where he was rendered by the CIA to Libya.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Special report: Rendition ordeal that raises new questions about secret trials |author=Ian Cobain|newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 April 2012|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/apr/08/special-report-britain-rendition-libya}}</ref>