Dozens of Foreign Arab Nationals

May 5 2011

Below is part of an article that I found interesting. I'd like to open this up to comments until I find more on it. Who were these foreigners and just what were they helping implement? Peaceful protests only, or the obviously necessary plan B as well?  

Libya follows deadly crackdown with mass arrests

(AFP) – Feb 19, 2011

TRIPOLI — Libyan authorities arrested dozens of foreign Arab nationals for allegedly stoking anti-regime protests amid reports that security forces had killed more than 80 people in a deadly crackdown.

Those detained in several Libyan cities were members of a "foreign network (and were) trained to damage Libya's stability, the safety of its citizens and national unity," the official Jana news agency said, hinting that Israel was behind the alleged plot.

Sources close to the investigation, quoted by the agency late Saturday, said the group included Tunisian, Egyptian, Sudanese, Palestinian, Syrian and Turkish citizens.

The people arrested were "charged with inciting acts of looting and sabotage, such as burning hospitals, banks, courts, prisons, police stations and offices of the military police, as well as public buildings and private properties, according to plans drawn up earlier," Jana said.

Noting that "certain Libyan cities have been the scene of acts of sabotage and destruction since Tuesday," Jana said the suspects sought to "take arms from police stations and the military police and use them."

"Sources close to the investigation have not ruled out Israel being behind the network," the news agency added, without providing details.