Has Al Qaeda Acquired Surface-To-Air Missiles From Libya?

These surface-to-air missile were left at an abandoned Libyan air force base in the dissident-held city ofTobruk in eastern Libya on February 24. Photo CNN

Qaeda Gets Arms In Libya -Algerian Official -- Reuters

* Guns, ammunition, grenades smuggled from Libya to Mali

* Security official says weapons destined for al Qaeda

* Al Qaeda believed to have acquired surface-to-air missiles

* Islamists "exploiting Libya chaos to widen influence"

ALGIERS, April 4 (Reuters) - Al Qaeda is exploiting the conflict in Libya to acquire weapons, including surface-to-air missiles, and smuggle them to a stronghold in northern Mali, a senior security official in neighbouring Algeria told Reuters.

Western governments have demanded that Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi step down after his forces cracked down on a revolt against his rule, but some governments in the region are nervous that al Qaeda could step into a power vacuum.

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Update #1: Report: Algerian Security Official Says Al Qaeda Using Libyan Conflict to Acquire Weapons -- FOX News
Update #2: Al-Qaeda Grabbing Weapons in Libya: Report -- Newser
Update #3: Does al Qaeda have some Libyan missiles? -- Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister, CNN

My Comment: This is the worse case scenario ... and (not including nuclear terrorism) the scariest. Al Qaeda possessing dozens of surface-to-air missiles, and using them on one specific day to shoot down passenger airliners in Europe, Asia, and the U.S.

Update: This fear of Libyan weapons being spread around (and used) has already raised concerns in the United Kingdom.