On September 21, 2017, The Libya Times published an article titled: ‘Tripoli Braces for Hurricane Igtet’. Basit Igtet [husband of Sara Bronfman) is front and center in a confrontation between the UN-backed government in Libya and Muslim terrorists.
The cover of the Libya Times says it all in two words: ‘More Violence?’
Here is what we know:
Basit Igtet is using Facebook to promote a rally at Martyrs Square in Tripoli, Libya on Monday, September 25th.
He wants young men in the city to install him as president.
Observers say he has almost zero chance of succeeding. However, an outbreak of violence may weaken the UN-backed government enough to let radical Muslims gain control of Tripoli.
Basit Igtet is married to Sara Bronfman. She is Jewish, an heiress of the Seagram’s Liquor fortune. When she got married to Mr. Igtet, she moved from Albany, New York. After several years of marriage, Ms. Bronfman moved back to suburban Albany. Mr. Igtet followed his wife and relocated to the cold climate and the small, suburban community outside of Albany.
Now, Mr. Igtet says he wants to be the next president of Libya.
He is using Facebook, and online videos, to incite young men of Tripoli to aid radical Muslim terrorists. On September 25, (one day after his 47th birthday) they will convene at Martyrs Square, then hopefully overthrow Fayez Serraj, head of Libya’s UN-backed government.
Western governments support Mr. Serraj who has tried to combat terrorism.
Mr. Igtet says Mr. Serraj had his chance to resolve the problems of Libya and failed. Conditions in Libya are not good. The dinar is falling, prices are rising, banks don’t have cash, and there are power outages.
Mr. Igtet says he can solve the problems. But he has to get control. Violently. He wants to be installed as president. Not elected.
The Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (LIFG) is aligned with Mr. Igtet. He hopes they will help muscle him into power. The LIFG’s goal is to preempt the presidential election, which was expected to follow the expiration of the GNA mandate in December.
Almost no one thinks Mr. Igtet will overthrow the government
His efforts might destabilize Tripoli, allowing LIFG terrorists to infiltrate with their militias in Gharyan, Zawya and Tarhouna and, ultimately, to murder their way into Tripoli.
Mr. Igtet is western-educated. He married the daughter of the former president of the World Jewish Congress, Edgar Bronfman Sr. While Mr. Igtet’s own late father and brother were members of the LIFG, they did not marry a Jewish woman who follows a cult leader. Radical Muslims are ardent about fundamentalist interpretations of Islam.
Will hey want westernized Mr. Igtet as president, no matter how good his game is from a distance? He doesn’t live in Libya. He doesn’t live the life of Libyans either.
Even if they did kill enough people on September 25 to take Tripoli, Libyan law disqualifies Mr. Igtet. He cannot be president because he holds dual nationality and married a non-Libyan. Still, Mr. Igtet has terrorist leanings; law could be set aside.
He speaks highly of the Mujahideen Shoura Councils of Darnah and Benghazi. Mr. Igtet was the only public figure in Libya to meet with terrorist Ahmed Abu Khattala, the leader of Ansar al-Sharia, now in U.S. custody.
So be prepared for violence. LIFG-aligned militias are regrouping in Tarhouna in preparation for an attack on the anti-GNA militias in Tripoli under the pretext of protecting Mr Igtet’s supporters. The pro-GNA militias closed Tripoli’s southern gates with sand barriers and set up security checkpoints across the city.
A pro-GNA militia commander warned Mr Igtet not to try to take the city through violence.
Mr. Igtet posted a handwritten note on his Facebook page in reply. The note, although short, speaks volumes. It is the kind of emotional, incendiary language that exhorts young Muslims to kill and die in the name of Allah.
It read: “We heard your voices, full of threats. On 25 September, you will hear ours in Martyrs Square shouting at the darkness. Our voices will hit your hearts like a hurricane”.
This is plain confrontational violence-inciting language.
When confrontation occurs, will Mr. Igtet be in the line of fire or be safely at the back, behind the trouble but not confronting it?
Think about the absurdity: Jewish Sara Bronfman’s married a Muslim husband. A Jewish woman is funding her Muslim husband. She is supporting terrorist Muslims, enemies of Judaism and America. Radical Muslims hope to topple the UN-backed government, using Sara Bronfman;s money and her husband.
It is possible Libyans will die for a nearly impossible dream of her husband becoming president. Meantime, she preaches vegetarianism and pacifist Gandhi. All the while, Basit Igtet seems to be playing the useful idiot. The question is for whom? Radical Muslims?
_____________
