Remember Libya? The North African country that got caught up in the “Arab Spring,” ousted its eccentric dictator, and is now supposedly transforming into a peaceful, democratic state?

Last week, author John Rosenthal wrote an important article shedding new light on the Libyan “democratic” revolution. Despite what we’ve been told, it appears the overthrow of Muammar Qadhafi wasn’t an organic, grassroots uprising that will end with a democratically elected, stable, peaceful government taking root in Tripoli. Rather, evidence shows the violent rebellion was years in planning, and carried out with craft and cunning. And while Qadhafi was defeated by a motley crew of obscure local militias, the broader rebellion was shaped and exploited by the masterminds of global Islamic terrorism.

Libya’s revolution, it seems, was all part of a calculated radical Islamist strategy.

Rosenthal compiled evidence from various sources, including facts uncovered in British court cases, UN files and U.S. and other Western intelligence agencies. Piece it all together and it’s obvious that there was “nothing spontaneous” about Libya’s rebellion. Rosenthal explained that as far back as the middle of the last decade, al Qaeda—primarily via the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group (lifg), which played a central role in the 2011 overthrow—had “elaborated a plan for destabilizing the Qadhafi regime by using many of the same tactics that would be employed at the outset of the rebellion in February 2011.”

Rosenthal put it best in his conclusion: “[T]he uprising in Libya was the realization not of democratic aspirations, but of the longstanding ambitions of Islamic extremists. It was an ‘Islamist Spring’ that paved the way for today’s ‘Islamist Winter’” (emphasis added).

Radical Islam’s proven presence in Libya’s revolution ought to raise several important concerns.

First, al Qaeda clearly has the intellectual and operational capacity to devise and carry out a strategy for undermining, even overthrowing, weak or flailing governments. In Libya’s case, al Qaeda leaders identified Qadhafi as a target years ago, then patiently, meticulously prepared for the moment opportunity would strike. Consider, for example, that rebel forces used tactics distinct to al Qaeda during battles with pro-Qadhafi forces—proof that the organization had established influence within local militias.

If al Qaeda and its allies have the ability to bring down Muammar Qadhafi, then shape the government erected in his place, how many other governments in the region are susceptible?

Second, it appears the West is willfully ignoring radical Islam’s effort to dominate North Africa and the Middle East. In Libya, the UN walked right into the Islamist trap. Despite regular intelligence (which was quickly pushed aside) indicating rebel forces contained a strong radical Islamist contingent, nato forces for months conducted regular sorties leveling Qadhafi strongholds, pinning loyalist forces in certain areas, and generally clearing the path for rebels to systematically lay hold of the country.

The Western media played their part too. First, by routinely downplaying and overlooking evidence suggesting radical Islam’s nefarious presence in the rebellion. And second, by framing Libya’s uprising as a liberal, democratic uprising comprised largely of regular “protesters.” Truth is, many rebel forces engaged in a lot of brutal, Qadhafi-like behavior themselves, such as penning loyalist forces in buildings, then setting them ablaze.

Without the support of the West, radical Islam’s victory in Libya would have been impossible.

Third, the fact that some of the top figures within the radical Islamist community were operating in Libya is evidence of a larger plan for conquering North Africa and the Middle East. As Rosenthal proves, the primary masterminds behind Libya’s revolution weren’t locals. Rather, they were the rock stars of global Islamic terrorism, men with experience at planning and carrying out bomb attacks, who’d operated all over the world in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Southeast Asia and Iran, and who had connections. Does anyone seriously believe such men were overthrowing Qadhafi for the benefit of the average Libyan?

They were there to expand radical Islam’s imprint in North Africa.

Finally, if al Qaeda was present in the Libyan revolution, then Iran was too. For years, politicians and analysts in the West insisted that the fundamental religious differences between Sunni al Qaeda and Shiite Iran prevented the two from working together. But they have been wrong. Iran has endorsed and even actively supported al Qaeda for years. The relationship improved significantly when U.S. forces invaded Iraq in 2003, when Iran provided sanctuary for top-level al Qaeda leaders. Over the years, Tehran has supplied al Qaeda terrorists with funding, a safe haven for planning operations, and explosives and other hardware. Recently, we learned that Iran and al Qaeda have even started to work together in operations.

It’s taken years, but the Western media have apparently awoken to this deadly reality. Last week, the Telegraph reported that Iran was deepening its ties with al Qaeda in an attempt to improve its ability to strike Western interests. Citing its own sources, Sky News reported that Tehran and al Qaeda are plotting a massive “atrocity,” perhaps even a terrorist attack on London during the upcoming Olympic Games.

Al Qaeda’s presence in Libya’s revolution strongly indicates IRAN’S presence too!

Perhaps the most worrying angle to all this is the silence of the Western media and politicians. Some few, like Rosenthal, have pieced together the facts and warned that radical Islam played a much larger role in Libya’s revolution than most people know. Even still, few have considered Libya’s revolution in the context of a much larger, Iran-orchestrated plot to dominate North Africa and the Middle East. Except for the Trumpet.

As early as 1994, Trumpet editor in chief Gerald Flurry has warned that Iran is the king of radical Islamic terrorism and is engaged in a strategy to control the Middle East. In early 2011, just as the revolution in Libya was getting started and the West was gearing up to help bring down Qadhafi, Mr. Flurry warned that something more sinister was afoot. In an article titled “Libya and Ethiopia Reveal Iran’s Military Strategy,” he explained that Iran, via Islamist proxies like al Qaeda, had a strategy to lay hold of Libya.

He stated explicitly, “You need to watch Libya and Ethiopia. They are about to fall under the heavy influence or control of Iran, the king of the south. … You need to continue to watch for Libya and Ethiopia to make a severe and rapid turn into the radical Islamic camp.”

At the time, many didn’t take that warning seriously. There was no evidence, too few facts, they said. Others ridiculed the analysis because it was rooted mainly in Bible prophecy. The rise of Iran, as Mr. Flurry explains thoroughly in The King of the South, was prophesied by the Prophet Daniel in chapter 11 verses 40 through 44.

Twelve months later, the facts are emerging—in Libya, in Egypt, in Iraq, in Iran—that back that forecast!

It’s been less than six months since Qadhafi was ousted, and it’s already clear the new Libya will be dominated heavily by sharia law, and the new government comprised of conservative Islamists, many with close ties to al Qaeda. Today, the Telegraph and New York Times are reporting on the ongoing cooperation between Iran and al Qaeda. These days you can’t turn on the news and not see the phrase “Islamist Winter.”

This is precisely the scenario Gerald Flurry prophesied! Watching events in Libya and Iran unfold precisely as the ancient prophets forecast leads me to wonder: What other events and trends unfolding in this world have prophetic significance? And, more importantly, where are these prophetically significant events leading?

The Trumpet exists to answers these questions, and to lead you into deeper, more vital questions. It’s important you stay tuned to this website, but if you’re serious about learning more deeply about world events and Bible prophecy you should consider subscribing to the Trumpet, our free, full-color, 40-page print magazine.

After all, if you read the Trumpet, it would have come as no surprise that Iran and al Qaeda’s fingerprints were all over Libya’s revolution.