I am not sure what Libyan panelist you are referring to. The fellow I spoke of was part of a general discussion among a group, mostly WASP, of Maryland residents.
An interesting point was made in the continuation of the article. Al Qaida made a point of advancing activity in Libya because of its proximity to Egypt. Also since Egypt had one million workers there (Libya population 6 million), it made sense to infiltrate. I will be watching the career of the Tripoli commander, Belhadj, who is connected with interest. I can finally get Al Jazeera English on TV, and reading between the lines learn a lot.
This is why I like your pings, you always are looking to read between the lines. Good for you!