Hillary Clinton received intelligence that her effort to bring down Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi was leading to the rise of al-Qaeda militants and the Muslim Brotherhood in the country, according to emails released by WikiLeaks.

More than a year before the Benghazi attack, Clinton learned that al-Qaeda terrorists were infiltrating the post-Gadaffi transitional government. Clinton also acknowledged that the Muslim Brotherhood wielded the “real power” in the rebel movement that Clinton was supporting — and that their Brotherhood allies in Egypt were waiting in the wings to move into Libya’s oil sector.

Clinton received a “CONFIDENTIAL” memo from Sidney Blumenthal on March 27, 2011. The subject of the email was “Re: Lots of new intel; Libyan army possibly on verge of collapse.”

Blumenthal explained that “radical/terrorist” groups were “infiltrating the NLC,” or National Libyan Council, a rebel quasi-government that earned French recognition as Libya’s governing body that very same month. Clinton was warned that al-Qaeda could become major players in the region.

Blumenthal wrote:

“This situation has become increasingly frustrating for French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who, according to knowledgeable individuals, is pressing to have France emerge from this crisis as the principal foreign ally of any new government that takes power. Sarkozy is also concerned about continuing reports that radical/terrorist groups such as the Libyan Fighting Groups and Al Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are infiltrating the NLC and its military command. Accordingly, he asked sociologist who has long established ties to Israel, Syria, and other B6 nations in the Middle East, to use his contacts to determine the level of influence AQIM and other. terrorist groups have inside of the NLC. Sarkozy also asked for reports setting out a clear picture of the role of the Muslim Brotherhood in the rebel leadership… …(Source Comment: Senior European security officials caution that AQIM is watching developments in Libya, and elements of that organization have been in touch with tribes in the southeastern part of the country. These officials are concerned that in a post-Qaddafi Libya, France and other western European countries must move quickly to ensure that the new government does not allow AQIM and others to set up small, semi- autonomous local entities—or “Caliphates”—in the oil and gas producing regions of southeastern Libya.)”

On May 30, 2011, Hillary aide Jake Sullivan sent the secretary of state a full list of known “Libya emissaries.” By then, the National Libyan Council had given way to the Transitional National Council (TNC), but the “real power” still lay with the Muslim Brotherhood.

Sullivan’s intelligence memo noted:

“The Qadhafi regime has also met with the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Egypt. According to Qadhafi chief of staff Fouad Zlitni, the Muslim Brotherhood asserts that TNC may be the political leadership of the opposition, but the real power lies with the Libyan Brotherhood and they are apparently willing to bide their time. The Qadhafi regime also offered to send senior tribal leaders to Benghazi to negotiate with the TNC, but the TNC rejected the proposal.”

Clinton forwarded that email to an aide, acknowledging that she had received it and assessed its contents.

Sidney Blumenthal wrote to Clinton again on July 3, 2012, two months before Benghazi, to talk about the upcoming election. The election, Blumenthal noted, was how the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt was hoping to use the new Brotherhood party in Libya to get into the Libyan oil game.

Blumenthal wrote:

“Source Comment: In the opinion of a knowledgeable individual, the division of the 200 seats in the GNC lies at the heart of this matter, with 120 seats allotted for the Tripolitania, 60 for Barqa, and 18 for the Fezzan area. At present, the Libyan Muslim Brotherhood (LMB) and its political arm, the Justice and Construction Party (JCP), are attempting to mount a national campaign, receiving discreet advice and technical support from the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood (EMB). With this assistance, Jalil is convinced that the JCP is the party that operates most effectively throughout the country. Jalil has established ties to the EMB, from whom he has learned that JCP leader Mohamad Sowan and his associates are working with the leadership of the EMB.) 4.According to his sources, Jalil believes that he can work with Sowan and the LMB/JCP; however, he is concerned that Mohammed Morsi, the newly elected EMB President of Egypt, and EMB Supreme Guide Mohammed Badie are focused on developing Egyptian influence in Libya. Jalil has been informed privately that these EMB leaders want to establish a strong position in Libya, particularly in the oil services sector as part of their effort to improve Egypt’s economic situation.

Over in Egypt, Clinton helped spur the uprising that led to the Muslim Brotherhood briefly taking power in that country around the same time. And a young Clinton Foundation employee, Gehad El-Haddad, was already working in Cairo to help the Muslim Brotherhood gain power.

El-Haddad was arrested in 2013, following the brief and disastrous reign of Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi, for inciting violence. He was reportedly one of Morsi’s top advisers. El-Haddad was sentenced to life in prison in 2015.