Canadian kidnapped in Libya glad to be back home with his family

Frank Poccia, a 52-year-old Canadian man was abducted by armed and masked gunmen on September 19th along with two Italians in the southwestern Libyan city of Ghat.

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At the time of his abduction, he along with the two Italians were working on a project at the Ghat airport. Poccia counts himself lucky to be alive and safe back home with his family in Montreal Quebec.

Poccia says that after being kidnapped the three were driven out into the desert. They spent the next seven weeks confined to small rooms. He said they were reasonably well treated by the kidnappers. He thought that they were gang members rather than terrorists. However, the most terrifying day was the day of their release. He and the two Italians were ordered at gunpoint to lay on the ground. They all thought they would be killed. Instead, they were driven to the airport and freed. Otherwise, Poccia said the worst part of his ordeal was not being able to contact his wife and children.

Poccia says he does not know whether any ransom was paid for his and the two Italians' release or the role the Italian and Canadian governments played in their release. Kidnapping is common in Libya but is often politically motivated whereas this case might have been for ransom. Poccia worked for the Aeronav Group based in the Montreal area. All three were technicians working at the Ghat project.

At the time of their release on November 5, Judy Garner, a spokesperson for the company said: "We are overjoyed with the news that our colleague, Frank Poccia, is safe and sound,. We have been in touch with Mr. Poccia's family throughout this ordeal and all we know at this time is that Mr. Poccia is physically well."

When the three were released, Italian Premier Matteo Renzi thanked Libyan authorities and security forces for their role in liberating the men saying: "Today is a moment of relief and joy that I would like to share with the families of our technicians." Canada's Global Affairs Department also issued a statement announcing the release of Poccia. At the time, Italiian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said that the two Italians had not been mistreated and were in good health. The three were brought to Italy on a special flight. The Italians worked for an Italian construction company.

Top Canadian general says Canada will play a role in Libya

Canadian Chief of the Defence Staff, General Jonathan Vance claims Canada will end up playing a role in Libya where many western nations are worried about the increasing strength of the Islamic State.

Vance said he is not ruling out military action. Vance's statements simply add to those earlier of Minister of Defence Harjit Saijain, who hinted recently that Canada could soon join a coalition of countries who might intervene in Libya. There is already evidence of special forces operating in Libya.

Vance was at a security and defence conference in Ottawa on Friday when he made his claims. He noted the international community is taking a great interest in Libya of late. Vance said:“I don’t know whether we will be involved militarily, but we will certainly be involved somehow Libya sits at a crossroads of some very important and dangerous things that are happening that are affecting Europe, it’s affecting Africa.."When asked about Vance's remarks Defence Minister Saijan said Canada was will studying the matter.

Saijan said:“When we have further discussions, and if there’s a need, and where Canada can bring in a certain capability that can assist part of the coalition, we will consider it at that time. It’s better to get a good understanding of what’s happening and what’s needed and then look at what we as nations are good at, that we can provide and that’s how we’re going to be approaching this.”While the role of Canadians on the ground in Iraq could very well result in their becoming involved in combat, Vance was adamant that their role should be not be described as a combat role. The same type of situation might arise should Canada become involved in Libya in a training role.

Defence Minister Saijan said Canada needs to look at what the potential political solution is. The UN-brokered Government of National Accord (GNA) is still not up and running as it needs a vote of confidence from the internationally recognized House of Representatives. A vote is scheduled this this Tuesday and there are discussions with the Presidency Council of the GNA this weekend. Many countries are waiting for the GNA to be established and then hope that it will request an intervention against the Islamic State by foreign forces. This would provide justification for foreign intervention. As the GNA encounters problems in its formation, some countries are preparing to intervene without being asked to by the GNA.

The United States has recently unilaterally attacked an alleged IS training base in western Libya. However, the attack also killed two Serb diplomats who had been kidnapped and were being held at the site attacked. The U.S. claims the attack was undertaken with the cooperating of Libyan authorities but it must have been Tripoli General National Council authorities rather than the internationally recognized HoR in Tobruk. The GNC praised the attack while the HoR condemned it. In spite of the attack the U.S. appears still to be waiting for the GNA to request aid before any concerted action in Libya.

Canada could intervene in Libya

While the Trudeau government has decided to withdraw from the bombing mission against the Islamic State in Iraq, it is now considering involvement in the plans for foreign military intervention in Libya.

In an interview with Chris Hall on the Canadian Broadcasting Corp.(CBC) radio program The House, Defence Minister, Harjit Saijan, hinted that Canada could soon join a coalition of countries who would intervene in Libya saying:

 "I had a good meeting with my counterpart, the minister of defence from Italy, [on military intervention in Libya]. Italy is willing to take the lead on this; once we have a good understanding of the political situation, that will allow us to figure out what we need to do. Before we can actually say 'Yes we're interested,' 'Yes we can do this,' we're doing what all responsible coalition partners should do, assess the political and security situation, and then decide if we have the right capabilities to assist in this mission.We will be part of that conversation."

Saijan said that any military action in Libya would be based upon lessons learned from Canada's experience in Afghanistan. I should think that the lesson learned from Afghanistan would be that military intervention results in continued warfare with no lasting solution even after more than a decade of US-led intervention. Saijan noted that there needed to be a political structure in place, so that when there are military gains the political structures will safeguard peace and quiet tensions. The UN, with the support of the international community, is trying to impose such a structure through the Government of National Accord(GNA) which it brokered. But the GNA was never approved by either parliament of the two rival Libyan governments. The internationally-recognized government is in Tobruk in the east, the House of Representatives(HoR), while the rival General National Congress(GNC) is in the west in Tripoli. The Libya Political Agreement(LPA) the basis for the GNA has also not be approved by either parliament. However the HoR must give a vote of confidence in the GNA before its term can begin its term.

After meeting several times and failing to reach a quorum, the HoR did meet and vote on the GNA but rejected it as having too many ministries. A deadline of ten days was given to present a new list but that deadline was missed. A new deadline set for tomorrow February 14th. If the list is presented to the HoR by then they could vote on it as early as this Monday. Even if the vote of confidence passes, there is no guarantee that the GNA will be able to move into Tripoli and gain control of the Central Bank, and National Oil Company without armed resistance from GNC-associated militia. The GNA itself is split between opponents of the HoR commander in chief of the Libyan National Army, Khalifa Haftar, and opponents mostly members from the GNC who signed on to the LPA in Skhirat on December 17th. The likelihood of a strong political structure to bolster Libya after a military defeat of the Islamic State seems unlikely. The intervention is more likely to produce even further civil discord as many will reject the intervention. It is not even certain that the GNA will even ask for such intervention.

The Italian defence minister, Roberta Pinotti, said that coalition partners at a recent Paris meeting totally agreed that the GNA government should ask the West to aid them fight the Islamic State "to avoid fuelling "jihadist propaganda" of yet another "Western invasion". In this case the propaganda appears to be close to the truth. She also noted that the US has expressed a greater concern over the Islamic State in Libya. Indeed, the US is planning a third front in Libya against the Islamic State. Already there is foreign military intervention in Libya by special forces from several countries. The UK is flying sorties

Many media outlets are criticizing the Trudeau decision to withdraw from the bombing mission against IS in Iraq. However, the US has supported Canada's new role. Actually, the Liberals will have a more extensive and expensive campaign than the Conservatives, and now it seems may expand their mission against IS to Libya. No wonder the US is not complaining. Not all the media are criticizing the Liberals for withdrawing from the bombing. Thomas Walkom, in the Star sees the Trudeau move as expanding Canada's role: Sly Justin Trudeau. Critics are still attacking the prime minister for pulling back from the war against Islamic State militants. What they haven’t noticed is that his Liberal government has, in fact, expanded Canada’s role in this conflict.The new operation will spend more money, $1.6 billion over three years. Canada will send 180 more soldiers to the area. The number of special forces to train the Kurds will rise from 69 to 200, Now Saijan is suggesting Canada might be involved in a Libyan campaign against the Islamic State as well.

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/news/politics/op-ed-canada-may-join-foreign-military-intervention-in-libya/article/457423#ixzz40aAix16R

Canada protests to Libya over reports of torture

 The Canadian government is criticizing Libya after reports of torture by both Amnesty International and Doctors without Borders. The latter group is withdrawing doctors from Misrata because patients were brought in to be treated only to face further interrogation. The Libyan embassy in Ottawa made no comment on the accusations.
   The Libyan government the NTC has not been able to centralize power so far. Many of the cases of torture and abuse may be happening in areas still controlled by militias rather than by the central government. Canada was an active part of the coalition that helped the rebels defeat the Gadaffi regime.
    No doubt the Canadian complaints will not interfere with developing commercial relations any more than Gadaffi's abuse of prisoners in an earlier period. Not long before the rebellion started  Canada still had good commercial relationships with the Libyan government including a large project to build a new prison being carried out by a Quebec firm. For more see this CBC article.
   Navi Pillay the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also commented on the Libyan situation saying:."There's torture, extrajudicial executions, rape of both men and women,""Something has to be done immediately to assist the authorities for the state to take control of these detention centres." Pillay said that there were up to 8,000 prisoners in 60 detention centers held by militia groups.