The head of Russia’s anti-terrorism agency Ilya Rogachov today warned that al-Qaeda has likely gotten a number of anti-aircraft missiles in the aftermath of the Libyan civil war, and that the portable weapons are “ideal” for terrorists.
Following the rebel conquest of Tripoli, many of Libya’s largest weapons dumps have been left totally unguarded, and were looted en masse by people hoping to smuggle the weapons out of the nation to sell them.
The local al-Qaeda affiliate, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), is believed to be using the opportunity to buy up as many weapons as they can at rock bottom prices, as Libya’s enormous weapons stockpile starts showing up on the open market and priced to move.
AQIM has been quick to take advantage of extra weapons in the region, and when French forces dropped arms for a rebel force in late June, the group had already gotten its hands on some of the new weapons within a few days.
I would not want to fly a commercial aircraft in any place that the NATO nations fly their jets. The hand held are not very good against the military aircraft because they have the flare system which gets the aircraft. Commercial aircraft do not have the flare system and even if they wanted to put the system on the plans it would cost many billion dollars. Do yourself a favor and avoid commecrial flying when possible. I am not sure what the people of NATO was thinking when they created all these problems. Oh one last thing I would avoid commercial flights to the holy land.
That would also be a way to make them pay for their criminal stupidity.
Al Qaeda = Al CIAduh so, of course, they've got anti-craft missiles and not necessarily from Libya.
If Gadaffi had anti aircraft missles, why didn't he use them on the NATO planes ?
Dumb Arab….
When the 1st US/NATO/Israel airliner goes down in flames we'll understand the meaning of Poetic Justice.