Results tagged “libya”

With Moammar Gadhafi making his first United Nations General Assembly visit this week, he also took the time to meet with relatives of victims of the 1988 Pan Am 103 bombing over Lockerbie, Scotland. Linda Gibson said of the 10-minute meeting, "He generally said he was sorry for the loss, but we didn't go into any details about the bombing."

It turns out even Libyan government employees have a hard time dealing with their wild boss: Moammar Gadhafi's translator apparently collapsed during his 95-minute rant on Wednesday! The translator's last words before giving up: "I just can’t take it any more."

Bedford's Libyan leader camping problem is over: Donald Trump—well, his company, the Trump Organization—said, "We have requested that the tenant occupying the property in Bedford, New York, remove the tent that was erected. They have complied with this request." Which meant that Moammer Gadhafi, heading to to the 'burbs after his wild United Nations speech had to turn back to NYC.

The Daily News tells us that the red carpet laid out for Moammer Gadhafi's welcome at the Libyan Mission was peed on by a "politically incorrect pooch," calling the act a "stream of consciousness protest."

Just in case Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi didn't get the message that New Jersey doesn't want him visiting their state or the town of Englewood, where his country owns a 25-rooom mansion, there was a rally in Englewood to repeat the refrain, "Not In My Backyard!" The Star-Ledger reports that relatives of victims from the Lockerbie plane bombing spoke: Laurie Ciulla, whose father was killed, said that her family has been upset by the possibility of Gadhafi spending part of next month in the NJ suburb, "As a nation, we just simply cannot host Colonel Gadhafi. He is not welcome here any more than any other terrorist would be," while Jack Flynn, who son died, said it was "scary -- almost creepy" near the Libyan property (the protest was held on the neighboring property owned by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach) and that Gadhafi "was the man who ordered the bombing of Pan Am 103. There's no doubt about it."

NJ lawmakers are probably happy now: Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi will not be staying at the Libyan government-owned mansion in Englewood, NJ when he comes to the U.S. next month to address the United Nations. Rep. Steve Rothman announced yesterday, "I am very pleased that Moammar Khadafy will apparently not be coming to Englewood," apparently because Gadhafi's visit—which would include a large Bedouin tent—"would have presented unnecessary safety and security issues for the residents of Englewood and the Libyan diplomats." And the public uproar probably helped pressure the Libyan government, too. Instead, the Daily News reports, "Khadafy is expected to seek rooms for himself and his large entourage at one of New York's luxury hotels." Hmm—will he seek a hotel with rooftop space for him to set up the tent?

Englewood, NJ Mayor Michael Wildes is stepping up the fight to keep Libyan leader Moammer Gadhafi—and his air-conditioned Bedouin tent—from the estate the Libyan mission to the U.N. owns. Wildes is going to court to file an injunction on the renovation work being done at the estate, "If the U.S. State Department won't shut this down, we will. New Jersey's governor, its two U.S. senators and its U.S. congressmen are all on board on this."

The Daily News says that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has essentially been turned into a "hotel booking agent" because the State Department is trying to find a suitable place for Libyan leader Moammer Gadhafi to stay—with his air-conditioned Bedouin tent—during his United Nations visit next month. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said, "We are involved in discussions... We, of course, are sensitive to the concerns [of Gadhafi's potential neighbors]. No decision has been made ... regarding where he will stay."

After Abdel Baset al Megrahi, convicted for the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was released on "compassionate grounds" and received a "hero's welcome" in his native Libya, the Scottish government has been trying to defend itself from criticism, much of it American (most of the victims were from the U.S.). Scottish Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill now says they asked Libya to promise not to throw a big party for al Megrahi, "Assurances had been given by the Libyan government that any return would be dealt with in a low-key and sensitive fashion. It is a matter of great regret that Mr. al-Megrahi was received in such an inappropriate manner." British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to make remarks about the release; he had discussed it with Moammer Gadhafi weeks ago. There's also been suggestion that Britain lobbied for al Megrahi's release in order to gain lucrative oil contracts with Libya—Senator Chuck Schumer said on Meet the Press, "Was there a quid pro quo here? I don't know if that's the truth, but if it is: shame, shame, shame on the British government."

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is heading to New York City next month, as he's scheduled to speak at the United Nations on September 23. And he'll also be spending some time in NJ: Because the Libyan Mission to the U.N. owns property in Englewood, NJ, that's where Gadhafi will be setting up his "large air-conditioned tent."

With the Scottish government's release of convicted Lockerbie bomber Aldel Baset al Megrahi on compassionate grounds (al Megrahi has terminal prostate cancer), anger over his freedom and the his "hero's welcome" in Libya simmered in the U.S., the home of many of the bombing's victims. Victims' families are planning a September 23 protest, which is when Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi is to give a speech at the United Nations. The Daily News said that after al Megrahi's return, "The Libyans dialed back on the displays of adoration Friday after the world reacted with disgust to the hero's welcome," but still, Senator Charles Schumer wants the U.N. to condemn the celebration. In the meantime, questions about the British government's interest in al Megrahi's release continued; the NY Times reports, "Lord Trefgarne, chairman of the Libyan British Business Council, said Mr. Megrahi’s release had opened the way for Britain’s leading oil companies to pursue multibillion-dollar oil contracts with Libya, which had demanded Mr. Megrahi’s return in talks with British officials and business executives."

After the Scottish government released him on "compassionate" grounds, Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was greeted like a hero in Tripoli, Libya, much to the dismay of U.S. and British governments. al-Megrahi was convicted of the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland; 270 were killed, 189 of them Americans. President Obama had said yesterday that al-Megrahi's release was a "mistake" and added, "We are now in contact with the Libyan government, and want to make sure that if in fact this transfer has taken place, he is not welcomed back in some way but instead should be under house arrest." However, as CNN described, "al Megrahi walked off a plane in his native country to a cheering crowd that waved flags and honked horns."