With the money of Qatar and Turkey… What subversive role did Ghannouchi play in Libya?
A report by ”Libya Review” newspaper on Tuesday pointed to the suspicious role played by Qatar and Turkey in Libya, through Rached Ghannouchi and the Tunisian Brotherhood in Ennahdha party, and how Doha and Ankara financed terrorist militias with arms and money, through Rachid Ghannouchi.
The report said: Tunisia is witnessing accelerated developments following President Kais Saied’s decision last week to freeze the House of Representatives and lift the immunity of all its members.
The newspaper said that President Saied’s decree opened the door for the prosecution of those involved in acts of violence and terrorism, the release of terrorists, and the smuggling of mercenaries and extremists across the border, all of which are linked to Speaker of the House of Representatives and the head of the pro-Muslim Brotherhood Ennahdha Movement, Rached Ghannouchi.
She added: “Over the past years, reports have revealed how Tunisia’s Ennahdha became embroiled in neighboring Libya by heavily backing the Muslim Brotherhood and its allies, including by supporting militias in Libya with arms and mercenaries.”
The newspaper said: “Ghannouchi is believed to have played a prominent role in supporting militias in western Libya, helping to release suspected extremists in Tunisia and working to transfer them to Tripoli. “Many of them have fought during the recent conflict, with promises including obtaining foreign citizenship.”
In addition, Ghannouchi’s party oversaw the smuggling of weapons to Libya through the Tunisian border, in coordination with senior members of the Muslim Brotherhood in Libya, the newspaper said, pointing to the close relationship between Ghannouchi and several figures affiliated with the group, such as Ali al-Sallabi and Abdelhakim Belhadj.
Libya Review explained that in the aftermath of the 2011 civil war that led to the overthrow of Mouammar Kadhafi, al-Sallabi acknowledged Tunisia’s role in supporting “rebels” by smuggling weapons across the Tunisian border into Libya.
A Tunisian political figure told ”Libya Review”: “Qatar and Turkey have been funding and supporting Ghannouchi for years. They gave him about 200 million dollars. This money was used to help extremists in Libya flourish.”
The newspaper cited the report as saying that the practices of Ennahdha and its leader had fueled conflict in Libya, leading to severe internal tensions within Tunisia. This has led Tunisian parties to condemn Ennahdha’s support for Libyan militias, fearing it could draw the country into harmful alliances with Tunisia and Libya.
