A counterterrorism unit in the Libyan capital Tripoli said it suspected Saturday's car bomb near the recently reopened Italian Embassy was planted by backers of the powerful Libyan National Army (LNA) based in the eastern part of the divided country.
The blast occurred in central Tripoli about 350 meters from the Italian Embassy. The bodies of two men were recovered from the wreckage of the car.
Tripoli's Special Deterrence Force said in a statement released late on Wednesday that the men had been trying to target the embassy, but had been prevented from parking their car near the embassy compound's walls.
Since March last year a third, U.N.-backed government has been trying to establish itself in the capital, but it has been unable to win support from groups in the east aligned with the government there and with the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA).
The LNA has made significant gains over the past year in its "Operation Dignity" campaign against Islamist-led opponents in the eastern city of Benghazi, and has pushed west to control key oil facilities. It has said it is preparing to "liberate" Tripoli.
"According to the investigations the perpetrators of the terrorist act are connected with what is known as Operation Dignity, but it's still unclear if it was an individual act or on Operation Dignity's orders," Rada said in its statement.
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How many other NFL teams can boast fans so loyal they'll find ways to watch their team every week, without fail, in another country? Not only do Bills fans around the world find a way to watch, but they figure out how to bring Buffalo to them whether through homemade wings or a special shipment of their favorite Buffalo brews. It's not easy to be a fan so far from home, but Bills Backers are unique and so is their devotion at home and abroad. This Cinco de Mayo, here's a look at five countries with Bills Backers International Chapters, uniting Bills fans from Mexico to Budapest.
UNO: Where better to start than just South of the border where we found the inspiration for this story. Two groups of Bills Backers have active chapters in Mexico, in the border town of Reynosa and a bit further inland in Monterrey. Join these Backers at Rico's Sports Bar in Reynosa or Fanattic in Monterrey for some Bills flavor in Mexico this season.
DOS: Directions to the Bills bar on the Caribbean island of Dominica aren't traditional: walk up the road in Salisbury, past the playing field, and then past the free water pipe. Ma Clem's shop will be on your right, and upstairs on Sundays, you'll find Erin Sozanski and her Bills Backers in Dominica. Though not a place many Bills fans will happen to be traveling through, we think this tropical Bills bar might be worth a vacation.
For a complete list of Bills Backers International Chapters both overseas and in the U.S., click here. Any questions about finding a chapter near you or starting your own? Email us at billsb...@bills.nfl.net.
World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro on Thursday welcomed the sale of Inter Milan to an Indonesian businessman and said Italy need foreign backers in troubled economic times.
The former world player of the year, who played two seasons with Inter, said Italian football is in dire need of a cash injection and domestic investors are thin on the ground.
He was speaking after Indonesian billionaire Erick Thohir this week snapped up a majority stake in Serie A giants Inter in the first Asian purchase of an Italian club.
"I'm happy about it because we don't have investors in Italy," he told AFP at a promotional event for Tiger Street Football in Singapore.
"We need new forces because our football needs to grow from the economic point of view. We need to improve the quality of stadiums and infrastructure.
"I think these new investors will bring a lot of new things."
Media and sports mogul Thohir, who also owns Major League Soccer outfit DC United and basketball's Philadelphia 76ers, has a reputation for turning troubled businesses around.
He acquired a 70 percent stake in Inter for an undisclosed fee. Inter are reported to be desperate for a new stadium away from the towering San Siro, which they share with city rivals AC Milan.
Inter become only the second foreign-owned Serie A club after AS Roma, who were sold to Americans Thomas DiBenedetto and James Pallotta two years ago.
But Cannavaro said he had no concerns about following the example of the English football, where widespread foreign ownership has produced mixed results.
"I think it's a great thing," the Italian, with a sleeve tattoo on his right forearm and gelled side-parting, said at Singapore's Marina Bay.
"If people want to invest in our football, it creates new opportunities for work for a lot of people and at the moment in Europe, we need that," he said.
Cannavaro has called time on his glittering playing career, highlighted by Italy's 2006 World Cup win and his world player of the year award in the same year.
After distinguished stints at Parma, Juventus and Real Madrid, and setting a new Italian record for international caps, he is now assistant coach at Al-Ahli in the UAE.
He had praise for Marcello Lippi, his coach when Italy won the World Cup, who has steered Guangzhou Evergrande to the AFC Champions League final after his surprise move to China.
"He's shown once again that he's one of the best coaches in the world. Before, people used to say he was good because he coached Juventus, then they used to say he was good because he coached a strong national team," Cannavaro said.
"Now I think they will say he's great because he's winning everything in China and they're in the final of the Asian Champions League. So I think he's doing a really great job."
Lippi, 65, now stands to add the Asian continental title to the European equivalent, which he won with Juventus in 1996, when Guangzhou face FC Seoul in the two-legged final.
Cannavaro said he was not surprised by Lippi's success and paid tribute to the "sacrifices" made by the 65-year-old in moving to a new country late in his career.
"I think to reach a Champions League final isn't easy, whether it's in Europe or Asia," he said.
"I hope he can win, because of the sacrifices he's making: it's not easy to be going on the pitch and living in another country at 60 years old.
"So definitely winning that would give him a lot of satisfaction."
The Spanish development team established and managed by legendary ex-pro Alberto Contador and his brother Fran has partnered Italian internet company EOLO. The new backers will act as co-sponsor alongside Hungarian brand Kometa.
Alberto Contador established the team in 2017 and has been eyeing WorldTour status ever since. When first set up, the squad was known as Polartec-Kometa and served as a development team for top-tier squad Trek-Segafredo. Since then, Contador has brought in retired Italian star Ivan Basso as sport director.
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