Al-Sadiq al-Ghariani, Libyan extremist incites terrorism from Turkey

Libya’s Grand Mufti, Al-Sadiq al-Ghariani, who has been blacklisted as terrorist, has called citizens to march towards Tripoli to “resist” the armed forces.

Controversial cleric Ghariani had been the Grand Mufti of Libya since 2012 until he was sacked for his extremist thoughts and connections with terror organizations.

Describing the United Nations as “the Institution of Colonialism that seeks to impose its dominance on all who aspire to claim dignity and freedom.” Ghariani said during his weekly show “Islam and Life”, which is being broadcast from Turkey, that resistance against the armed forces will be deemed “Jihad.”

Libya has been preparing to hold a conference, which is being organized by the UN Mission in Libya, headed by UN envoy Ghassan Salama.

According to Salama, the meeting intends to help Libyan parties to draw up a plan to end the transitional period and hold presidential and legislative elections in the country.

Islamists started attacking and slandering the conference, describing it as “mysterious”, as holding a presidential election would undermine their influence.

Ghariani further warned that the UN conference initially intends to empower Khalifa Haftar, enabling him to rule the country.

Ghariani is among the most controversial figures in Libya. He took the post of Mufti of Libya, but issued fatwas supporting extremist groups. He allowed Al-Qaeda and Al-Qaeda to break into Libyan cities.

The UN announced that it will hold the conference as a way out of the country’s eight-year-long conflict. The world body has been scrambling to save almost two years of mediation to prepare the oil producer for elections and end its split into two rival administrations, the recognized one in Tripoli and a parallel version in the east.

The initiative has been hit by political divisions and most recently by the prospect of a military showdown.

Trying to regain the initiative, U.N. Libya envoy Ghassan Salame said a national conference would be held in the southwestern town of Ghadames from April 14 to 16.

“If the opportunity presented by the National Conference is not seized, then we will be faced with only two possible options: prolonged stalemate or conflict,” he told the U.N. Security Council. “This stalemate may also ultimately lead to conflict.”