D. A. NECHITAILO Candidate of Political Sciences Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Al-Qaeda Keywords:. Arab spring, revolt Al-Qaeda has never considered Libya as a priority area for its activities, both in terms of propaganda and terrorist attacks here. The Libyan Islamic Militant Group (LBIG), despite statements made in 2007. The idea of joining al-Qaeda was far from the strategic goals of the global jihad movement. The ideological accents of Libyan Islamists and Salafists from Al-Qaeda have different directions. A HISTORIC CHANCE FOR RADICALS IN LIBYA The ideology of al-Qaeda does not imply support for the opposition under the leadership of the Transitional National Council (TNC), in which various groups are represented. Western support for NTC armed groups also reduced the likelihood of al-Qaeda's cooperation with a NATO-backed political force. The beginning of the civil war in Libya and the death of Gaddafi, the disillusionment of the rebels with the results of the war against the regime can contribute to the growth of the influence of radicals who offer an alternative to secularism and democracy. In the eastern regions of the former Jamahiriya, conditions have historically developed for the perception of radical ideas. Here, the population is more susceptible to the ideology of Al-Qaeda and its affiliated organizations. Currently, the Libyan Militant Islamic Group, which officially announced its creation in 1995, is strengthening its position here. The LBIG mujahideen have long established ties with local Salafi extremist organizations in the Maghreb. During the Algerian civil war in the 1990s, they worked closely with the Armed Islamic Group (VIG) and the Salafi Preaching and Jihad Group. At the same time, the Libyans sought not only to gain combat experience in this way, but also to subsequently use the territory of Algeria to conduct military operations in Libya itself. Along with this, in 2001 they actively participated in com ... Read more