Foreign policy will likely be a big factor in next year’s presidential election. Florida’s Republican U.S. Senator, Marco Rubio, hasn’t announced his candidacy, but he’s making stops at important political venues – like Iowa.
Earlier this month, during a radio interview, Rubio made a claim about the reach of the extremist terror group known as ISIS. Rubio claimed:
"ISIS has now set up a very significant hub in Libya. They are now the predominant Islamist group in Benghazi."
PolitiFact Florida rated the claim for its truthfulness. Writer Joshua Gillin said the claim rates MOSTLY FALSE. According to Gillin, there’s no proof that ISIS has a stronghold on the Libyan capital.
“In Benghazi, there's a different group called Ansar al-Sharia, that's actually a coalition of different groups,” Gillin said.
The biggest problem in Benghazi and Libya is the upheaval since the revolution in 2011. An interim government was put into place when dictator Moammar Gaddafi was deposed, but then refused to give up power.
There are now two different governments struggling for power over the country today. In the wake of that struggle, there are different militias, clans and terror groups who fight for territory.
Experts say there is evidence that the larger group, Ansar al-Sharia, is losing members to ISIS. But there isn’t anything pointing to ISIS being the predominant group in the Benghazi. Because of that, PolitiFact rated the claim MOSTLY FALSE.
SOURCES: ISIS IN BENGHAZI
- PolitiFact's rating
- WHO NewsRadio 1040, Marco Rubio interview, Feb. 13, 2015
- Washington Post, "Radical Islamists unite under fresh name," Sept. 27, 2012
- BBC News, "Profile: Libya's Ansar al-Sharia," June 13, 2014
- Deutsche Welle, "Libya: Who's fighting whom?," Sept. 2, 2014
- International Business Times, "Where To Find ISIS Supporters: A Map Of Militant Groups Aligned With The Islamic State Group," Oct. 9, 2014
- Daily Mail, "Libyan navy ship sinking after clashes between army and ISIS in Benghazi port," Nov. 3, 2014
- Daily Beast, "Murder Vids Help ISIS Lure More Monsters," Nov. 16, 2014
- United Nations, "Security Council Committee pursuant to resolutions 1267 (1999) and 1989 (2011) concerning Al-Qaida and associated individuals and entities: QE.A.145.14. Ansar al Charia Derna," Nov. 19, 2014
- Foreign Affairs, "ISIS Enters Egypt," Dec. 4, 2014
- BBC News, "How strong is Islamic State in Libya?," Feb. 4, 2015
- Reuters, "Libyan army says has retaken main camp in Benghazi," Feb. 9, 2015
- The Washington Institute, "The Islamic State's Expansion in Libya," Feb. 11, 2015
- International Business Times, "Libya: More Egyptians 'kidnapped by IS or Ansar al-Sharia' after Egypt airstrikes," Feb. 16, 2015
- CNN, "ISIS comes to Libya," Feb. 16, 2015
- CNN, "Egyptian warplanes bomb ISIS targets in Libya after killings of Christians," Feb. 16, 2015
- The Independent, "Isis beheading of Coptic Christians on Libyan beach brings Islamists to the doorstep of Europe," Feb. 16, 2015
- The Atlantic, "What ISIS Really Wants," March 2015
- Interview with James Gelvin, UCLA history professor, Feb. 16, 2015
- Interview with Daniel Byman, Rand Corporation Center for Middle East Public Policy research director, Feb. 16, 2015
- Interview with Aaron Zelin, Washington Institute fellow and Jihadology.net founder, Feb. 17, 2015
- Interview with Francesco Strazzari, Norwegian Institute for International Affairs researcher, Feb. 17-18, 2015