US Finds Hints of al-Qaeda Among Libyan Rebels

US intelligence indicates “flickers” of evidence that there are fighters among the Libyan rebels with ties to al-Qaeda and Hezbollah, but neither group holds significant sway over the movement, Admiral James Stavridis told Congress today. “The intelligence that I'm receiving at this point makes me feel that the leadership that I'm seeing are responsible men and women,” said Stavridis, NATO’s supreme Europe commander, according to the Wall Street Journal.

“We have seen flickers in the intelligence of potential al-Qaeda, Hezbollah,” he continued. “But at this point, I don't have the detail sufficient to say that there's a significant al-Qaeda presence or any other terrorist presence in and among these folks.” Yesterday, White House officials also expressed trust. “So far, they’re saying the right things,” President Obama said. “Most of them are professionals, lawyers, doctors—people who appear to be credible.” (More James Stavridis stories.)