According to Arabic sources, there appears to be concerns that jihadist “mercenaries” from various regions are planning to invade Tunisia from Libya, which sits to that country’s east and that the possible usage of Chemical weapons is feared. This information was relayed by a retired Tunisisan military colonel named Mohammed Saleh al-Haidari, who says the mercenaries are identified as the Jihad Brigades.

Is Tunisia under threat from Jihadists from Libya?

Via Alriyadh (translated into English):

According to Mohammed Saleh al-Haidari, a retired colonel who appeared on Nessma TV recently, the battalions to regulate the law’s (Sharia) supporters planned to invade southern Tunisia together with the Libyan fighters and mercenaries. The force includes approximately ten thousand fighters from the Libyan territory.

Haidari said, “Sources and firm evidence documented by the Interior Ministry confirms this scheme.” He pointed to the Interior Minister of Tunisia, Lotfi Ben Jeddo, who gave an interview with a local radio earlier this week and spoke at a news conference. The Tunisian security forces foiled an already-planned attempt to organize supporters of Sharia. The terrorist organization’s objective was to divide the country into three Islamic emirates in the north, center and south.

Again citing Ben Jeddo, Haidari added that this scheme was involved a series of bombings and assassinations in several Tunisian cities, explaining that the planned invasion of southern Tunisian was to “begin the implementation of 50 bombings in the entire territory of the republic and private capital in order to confuse the army and security.”

He pointed out that the first goal of these operations would be to distract the efforts of the military and security establishment and the initial attack would be from the south through Libya, pointing out that the danger lies in the battalions’ acquisition of chemical weapons left by the late Army Co. Muammar Gadhafi. {emphasis ours}

The name of another notorious figure is popping up as well – Abdel Hakim Belhaj. As we reported back in October of last year, Belhaj is an al-Qaeda ‘brother’ who was placed in charge of security at the U.S. embassy in Tripoli by the National Transitional Council, from 2011 – 2012.

In fact, if there were a reason for the Obama administration to cover up the Benghazi attack, Belhaj’s alliances may have represented a significant motive.

Belhaj: Providing Safe Harbor to Tunisian terrorists?

Again, via Alriyadh:

The security expert (al-Haidari) said Nasser bin Sultan, President of the Tunisian Association for Strategic Studies Comprehensive Security, in remarks stated that there are more than 3,500 Tunisian fighters in Syria who are now being trained in the area of ​​Derna, Libya.

Several reports suggested the presence of Ansar al-Sharia leader in Tunisia – Saifullah bin Hussein, known as Abu Ayyad – was on Libyan territory for security reasons.

According to Sultan, “Tuber is the area of ​​Kandahar Libya as similar to them in the administrative organization and present security formations loyal to Abdel-Hakim Belhaj.” {emphasis ours}

If this report is correct, it means that Belhaj is possibly providing safe harbor to Tunisian terrorists who fought in Syria and are now in eastern Libya. This is quite problematic because Belhaj was a major figure of Libya’s rebel fighters during the overthrow of Gadhafi.