By Ali Alasbli, social media activist and blogger 

Three years ago, the Dignity Operation gained wide support and declared war on those accused of “terrorism” before deflecting from its stated goal and turning into a fight for power under the cover and pretext of fighting terrorism.

But what is terrorism? Where does the fight on terrorism stand? Who are the Kharijites and who are the quasi-Kharijites?

The term terrorism today is like the whip that scourges the back of all rivals. The term of terrorism or Daeshi (ISIS follower) has come to include all those who criticize violations, speak of freedoms or defend human rights. Anyone who calls for a civil state has become a terrorist; anyone who criticizes the military rule is a terrorist in the eyes of those who are supposed to be the gatekeepers of the homeland. The term terrorism and  Daeshi  has been circulated on all rivals, critics and opponents, and on all those who stand against the police state and the return of the one-man dictatorship regime, placing them in the same pit with extremist radical groups under the theme of "who isn't with us is a terrorist!"

The Daeshi and terrorism pretext included the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) of the National Accord Government, which was subjected to a media campaign for months that made it a more dangerous organization than ISIS itself. This campaign was followed by a military operation, which enabled Haftar's forces to take control over the oil ports and was responsible for the killing of more than one hundred soldiers from both sides in a battle involving Egyptian fighters. The pretext was the PFG forces were terrorists! Anyone who has an atom of mind would know that these allegations are fake and the charges are invalid.

 The real reason is that the PFG refused to join Haftar's forces and on the other hand it recognized the National Accord Government, which Haftar considered a government of traitors at the time. Moreover, for the desire of Haftar to control the ports and use them as a pressure point in political negotiations, which he did.

The Defense Committee of House of Representatives issued a list of 75 people who it classified as “terrorists” without reference to the judiciary, and in the context of "Daeshinating" political opponents without respect for the most basic rights such as the right of litigation and self-defense; in fact some people do not hesitate to describe entire cities and regions as “terrorists.”

Religiously, the Salafist organization was very good at using the term Kharijites, which is one of the synonyms of the term terrorists, which can be used on all those who take leave on Wali al-Amr or the "Guardian," forgetting that Haftar himself turned on the ruler, King Idris Senussi, and then on Muammar Gaddafi, in addition to a third time on Nuri Boushmain (GNC speaker), and last but not least on Aquila Saleh (HoR speaker), who commissioned him with the tasks of the army leadership and granted him the rank of Field Marshal!

The group has another term the quasi-Kharijites, which includes people who criticize the so-called Wali al-Amr or the "Guardian” or even dare mention his misdeeds and faults publicly!

The Kharijites and quasi-Kharijites are to be mercilessly killed, according to a fatwa issued by a Salafist leader on a local channel.

But when we look at the real terrorism pursued by the so-called ISIS, which everyone claims to be fighting, we realize that ISIS fled or rather was smuggled from Derna to Sirte in April 2016, passing through many checkpoints and in open desert roads, about 850 kilometers for more than 8 hours, without being intercepted by anyone, neither Libyan, Egyptian nor UAE warplanes.

Apparently this wasn't the only time in which ISIS fighters managed to escape. Early this year the ISIS militants fled the neighborhood of Sabri and Qanfouda in a convoy through central Benghazi. Security cameras documented the passage of their convoy from the middle of the neighborhoods without any resistance and in full view of the checkpoints and air bases and Egyptian and Emirati planes that chose to turn a blind eye towards them.

Terrorism, dear reader, is the use of any kind of violence against the other to impose an opinion, belief or thoughts. The terrorist is the one who imposes his opinions by force. The terrorist is the one who rules out whoever differs with him. The terrorist does not believe in dialogue or peaceful coexistence, nor in intellectual, cultural and religious diversity; he only acknowledges the language of arms, blood, war and murder.

This is terrorism, which must be fought intellectually and militarily in my view away from all considerations.

Disclaimer:  The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect those of the Libya Observer

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