Libyan rebels seize British SAS troops - report

[Turborama]

Source: Reuters

LONDON | Sun Mar 6, 2011 1:24am GMT

(Reuters) - Libyan rebels have captured a special forces unit in the east of the country after a secret diplomatic mission to make contact with opposition leaders backfired, the Sunday Times reported.

The team, understood to number up to eight SAS soldiers, were intercepted as they escorted a junior diplomat through rebel-held territory, the newspaper said.

=snip=

Earlier on Saturday the Geneva-based Human Rights Solidarity group, which employs a number of Libyan exiles, told Reuters by telephone that a team of "eight special forces personnel" had been seized by rebels. Both the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office repeatedly declined to comment on the group's report.

The SAS intervention apparently angered Libyan opposition figures, who ordered the soldiers locked up on a military base, according to the Sunday Times.

Read more: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/03/06/uk-britain-libya-sas-idUKTRE72507C20110306?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

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Oops!

Libyan rebels capture British soldiers
UK's diplomatic mission backfires as Gadhafi foes, backers battle

Source: MSNBC

=snip=

Opponents of longtime Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi fear he could use any evidence of Western military intervention to rally patriotic support away from a two-week-old uprising against his 41-year autocratic rule.

Citing Libyan sources, the Sunday Times said the special forces troops were taken by rebels to Benghazi, Libya's second largest city and epicenter of the insurrection, and hauled before one of its most senior politicians for questioning.

The paper said the junior diplomat they were escorting was preparing the way for a visit by a more senior colleague ahead of establishing diplomatic relations with the rebels.

The Sunday Times said Libyan opposition officials were said to be trying to hush up the incident for fear of a backlash from ordinary Libyans.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41921215/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

[derby378]

1. Shit, meet fan

This suddenly got a tad more interesting...

[DeSwiss]

2. Smart move. - K&R n/t

[htuttle]

3. They probably should have called ahead first

:eyes:

[pinboy3niner]

16. Hello? We have a commando unit we'd love to insert if you could see your way clear..Hello?

:rofl:

[Turborama]

17. !

:rofl:

&

:hi:

[Prometheus Bound]

4. Libyan rebels seize British SAS troops-Sunday Times

Source: Sunday Times via Reuters

Libyan rebels seize British SAS troops-Sunday Times
LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Libyan rebels have captured a British special forces unit in the east of the country after a secret diplomatic mission to make contact with opposition leaders backfired, Britain's Sunday Times reported. The team, understood to number up to eight SAS soldiers, were intercepted as they escorted a junior diplomat through rebel-held territory, the newspaper said.

The Foreign Office said in a brief statement it could neither "confirm or deny" the report.

Earlier on Saturday the Geneva-based Human Rights Solidarity group, which employs a number of Libyan exiles, told Reuters by telephone that a team of "eight special forces personnel" had been seized by rebels. Both the Ministry of Defence and Foreign Office repeatedly declined to comment on the group's report.

The SAS intervention apparently angered Libyan opposition figures, who ordered the soldiers locked up on a military base, according to the Sunday Times.

Read more: http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE72500520110306

---

Eight SAS men in undercover mission are seized in Libya - by the rebel forces they went to help
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1363424/Eight-SAS-men-undercover-mission-seized-Libya--rebel-forces-went-help.html#ixzz1FmpwtIMA

[somone]

5. Interesting

It might be a simple misunderstanding, though.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. This is getting confusing.

[some guy]

7. Makes sense to me

Apparently the rebel opposition doesn't want to be, or be perceived to be, beholden to outside forces.

[Pirate Smile]

8. This reminds me of the WP article about the low-key approach of the Obama Administration

"If Obama has seemed low-key, he explains, it has been a calculated "strategic reticence" to send the message: This is your revolution; it's not about us."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/03/04/AR2011030404614.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

It isn't especially helpful for foreign countries to necessarily try to take over.

It is like people complaining that we didn't get involved in the Green Uprising in Iran in 09. That would have just hurt the people trying for the revolution. They need to own it.

[christx30]

11. and that uprising failed

many people in the revolution died. The Ayatolla and Ahmadinejad are still in power. Rape victims are still being tortured and killed.
Nice that they want to do their own thing, but the best way to handle it is to have any many friends and as much help as possible.

[htuttle]

9. It seems as though some basic pre-mission intelligence...was completely absent

Maybe they should have tried to send them a message first on Facebook or something...

[Skip_In_Boulder]

12. Oh boy, is this where the shit hits the fan?

Just what we need going on right now. :sarcasm: (Just in case anyone didn't know.)

[Skip_In_Boulder]

13. This line is telling

"Opponents of longtime Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi fear he could use any evidence of Western military intervention to rally patriotic support away from a two-week-old uprising against his 41-year autocratic rule."

You know the Libyans have been telling us they don't want us sticking our nose into this. Maybe we ought to listen.

[buckrogers1965]

10. Those boys just went on a hike

And got lost. Who knows where the border is.

[maddezmom]

14. Sky News reporting that 8 out of 22 SAS soldiers being held, the jr diplomat is not being held

or the rest of the soldiers.

[jakeXT]

15. The Aussies say something different...

A successful conclusion to the incident was expected to occur, Sky News reported, with Paterson saying: "The feeling in London is that the rebels who have taken the SAS members and junior diplomat are simply making a point. There is no feeling this will end badly."

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/world/british-soldiers-detained-as-battles-continue-to-rage-across-libya/story-e6frfkzr-1226016674792#ixzz1FoAqpAU3

[pinboy3niner]

18. That's the best analysis

The Libyans are setting boundaries, serving notice that their next government cannot be treated as if it's made up of uncivilized and unsophisticated fools to be manipulated by Western powers.

Of course the UK will get its SAS commandos back. But they'll have to eat some crow, too.

[jakeXT]

19. They were carrying explosives, how nice of them...

SAS unit, diplomats bungle secret mission into Libya

THEY flew in at night by helicopter: six SAS soldiers and two diplomats, armed and apparently carrying explosives and false passports, with a mission to find Libya's revolutionary leaders and establish a way to help the pro-democracy movement.

The team could have come in with HMS Cumberland, a British frigate that was openly docked in Benghazi port on Sunday, and caught a taxi a couple of miles to the court building where the revolutionary council's representatives meet the press and conduct their daily business.

That way, they might have avoided being captured.

The rebel council, which declared itself this weekend the sole legitimate authority in the country, expressed surprise and annoyance at the British delegation's "James Bond" antics.

"If this is an official delegation why did they come with a helicopter? Why didn't they that 'we are coming, we'd like to land at Benina airport', or come through Egypt like all the journalists have done," Mustafa Gheriani, a spokesman for the revolutionary leadership, asked.

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/sas-unit-diplomats-bungle-secret-mission-into-libya/story-e6frg6so-1226016917004

[jakeXT]

20. UK diplomatic team leaves Libya after issues resolved

UPDATE 1-UK diplomatic team leaves Libya after issues resolved
http://af.reuters.com/article/libyaNews/idAFLDE7250K620110306?sp=true

[bemildred]

21. British bungle covert SAS mission

TONY EASTLEY: What was meant to be a covert British SAS mission to reach out to Libya's opposition forces has ended up a debacle, with the unit caught, detained and then told to go home.

It's understood the small group of commandos were escorting British diplomats who were trying to contact leaders of the anti-Gaddafi forces.

In a further embarrassment to the UK, Libyan state television has broadcast what's believed to be a telephone conversation between the British Ambassador to Libya, and a spokesman from Libya's opposition forces.

http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2011/s3156642.htm

[marasinghe]

22. sas guys do tend to grandstand. what happened to the stiff upper lip & all that?

once & for all: stay out of other people's backyards, unless you are invited in.

[westerebus]

23. You will need a cover story.

Advise the opposition that you are transporting junior liaison from the home office. SAS in tow to provide security for same.

Having intercepted this party, release reports that assistance is not welcomed. Announce they have been detained.

As training on the com equipment will take a few hours, update sat imagery intel to commander XXXX XX XXXXXXX local forces.

Having established requirements, depart under cover story of botched mission. CNN Sky-news to cover as directed.


Not that this would ever happen.

[Turborama]

25. That thought had crossed my mind, too

The SAS are way too smart to botch something up that badly.

[jakeXT]

26. Remember Basra 2005 in Iraq

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/sep2005/basr-s28.shtml

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4264614.stm

[westerebus]

27. SAS.

They've been doing this for decades. You can bet US operators are close by too. Air support is about 14 mins out. Running drills.

It is what it is.

[nalnn]

28. +1

This is along the lines of what actually happened if recent history is any guide.

[pinboy3niner]

24. Libya: anti-Gaddafi rebels release SAS troops

Libya: anti-Gaddafi rebels release SAS troops
Sunday 06 March 2011

Anti-Gaddafi rebels in Benghazi have tonight released an SAS team captured in eastern Libya. But why did they arrive by helicopter and at night when they could have entered the country by land?

The captured SAS troops were accompanying a group of diplomats who came to the country to establish links with the new council running eastern Libya, according to Channel 4 News Foreign Affairs Editor Lindsey Hilsum.

...


The Foreign Office claims the diplomatic mission was not covert but completely open. It has also confirmed tonight that the eight men have been released and left on HMS Cumberland, which is in Benghazi to evacuate stranded foreigners.

http://www.channel4.com/news/libya-antigaddafi-rebels-seize-sas-troops

[bemildred]

29. William Hague approved botched Libya mission, PM's office says

William Hague, the foreign secretary, approved the botched plan to send a team of armed diplomats and SAS soldiers into eastern Libya in an effort to build diplomatic contacts with anti-Gaddafi rebels.

The eight M16 officers and SAS soldiers were arrested then deported after only two days in the country.

The prime minister's official spokesman was reluctant to reveal details, partly due to the involvement of special forces, but told a briefing Hague had approved the operation "in the normal way".

It was impossible to discern from the briefing whether David Cameron had been specifically informed in advance, but it was stressed that the prime minister and the foreign secretary are in constant contact.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/mar/07/william-hague-approved-botched-libya-mission