An extremist Saudi cleric of Palestinian origin has received a warm welcome in east Libya by so-called “the General Command of the Libyan Army.”
Osama Ataya Al-Otabi has toured the eastern towns and cities and delivered religious lectures and Friday sermons to legitimize the actions of Dignity Operation militia groups and criminalize their opponents.
Al-Otabi is notorious for his bloody Fataws and incitement of tensions, especially in the Libyan conflict.
Rival clerics from the Salafi movement in western Libya have warned about his visit and urged people to avoid attending his lectures because of “Fitna.”
Speaking to Libya Alhadat TV on Sunday, Al-Otabi said he maintains good relationship with Khalifa Haftar.
“I am the guest of the armed forces here,” he said, describing Khalifa Haftar as a Salafist military officer.
Khalifa haftar is exploiting the Salafi movement, which is at odds with other Islamist groups, to fight his political rivals. The movement favors dictators and tyrants over elected ministers and presidents because its followers believe that elections are sin.
The Salafists have already joined the fighting in Benghazi and formed their own armed brigades within Dignity Operation. Their influence has risen after they took control of all mosques and religious offices in the eastern region to direct the people into their belief.
In Saudi Arabia, Osama Ataya Al-Otabi is branded as a sedition cleric because of his misleading and bloody Fataws and interference in other countries’ affairs, especially Libya.
