In Libya there are a multitude of weapons caches scattered throughout the city, moved by Moammar Kadafi’s troops from military to civilian sites. Following the fall of Kadafi there has been a mad rush to gain possession of these by the rebels. The interim administration spokesperson Jalal Gallal states that they are trying to locate these, but are very stretched with all the responsibilities they are trying to uphold. They have found numerous caches that have already been plundered. Evidence left behind at these sites tells of the type of weaponry that is now unaccounted for. This includes, Russian-made surface-to-air missiles designed to assail an aircraft at 11,000 feet and opened wooden boxes that appear to have housed anti-tank mines or torpedoes, either of which could be used to create explosives such as car bombs or suicide vests. There have been reports about the danger of these weapons being smuggled into Algeria and Niger; it is likely that other African countries may be at risk of receiving these illegal goods as well.
The implications of what this means for Libya are not hard to imagine, guerilla armies of Kadafi loyalists could arise and use the nation’s own weapons against it. However, this situation definitely puts the rest of the world at great risk as well. The weapons could be sold on the black market to whoever can pay the price, making the possible array of attack widespread. As the governments involved seek a solution, those not directly affected should also be aware of the dangers made possible by these events.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-libya-arms-20110909,0,6482399.story
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