Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether the Government was in communication with (a) Liwa al-Ummah and (b) the Tripoli Brigade during the war in Libya in 2011.

In 2011, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was in communication with a wide range of Libyans involved in the conflict against Qadhafi regime forces. Given the fluid nature of armed group formations and individual affiliations throughout that period, it is not possible to confirm whether this included contact with individuals who may have had some association with Liwa al-Ummah and the Tripoli Brigade.

We have always been clear that there is no place for terrorism or extremism in Libya and we fully support Libyan efforts to tackle the terrorist threat. The UK is working closely with the Libyan Government and international partners to deliver a comprehensive approach to stabilisation, security and post-conflict reconstruction, which will tackle the root causes of violent extremism in Libya.