An indication of just who is in the driver’s seat in the new Libya. “Reprisal fears cloud Libya probe into US consulate attack,” from AFP, January 6 (thanks to Lookmann):
AFP – Libya is pushing forward with its investigation into the deadly September 11 attack on the US consulate in Benghazi, but fear of retaliation by Islamist extremists has proved a hurdle.
Security reports point to the possible involvement of an Al-Qaeda-linked Islamist group in the attack that killed ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, a source close to the case told AFP.
“Therefore the case frightens local investigators, especially given the increased pace of assassinations targeting military and police officers in the east of the country,” said the source in the criminal investigations department.
The case has now been passed to a judge based in the capital.
“Judge Khaled al-Turki from Tripoli was appointed last week to complete investigations into the case,” said a senior justice ministry official….
Benghazi-based analyst and political science professor Khaled al-Marmimi said: “Investigators are afraid to keep probing the case because they are concerned extremists will kidnap them at any moment.
“The authorities are ignoring the presence of Islamist extremists in the region. They are keeping silent on the issue and have not engaged them in any dialogue.“…
Mutaz al-Majbari, chief editor of a private Libyan television station, said: “The authorities want to expedite the case so they do not face American interference in the questioning of subjects like in Tunisia.”
A Tunisian suspected of playing a role in the attack, Abdelbasset Ben Mbarek, refused to be interrogated by FBI agents in December, according to his lawyer, who slammed what he called US interference in the probe….