Bern, Switzerland (GenevaLunch) - The Swiss government remains silent on Libya, while Libya appears to want to stay in news headlines this week: leader Muammar Qadaffi’s declaration of a jihad or holy war against Switzerland last week was firmly rebuffed as unacceptably by the United Nations and Swiss Muslim leaders. Reports are coming in that some Libyans have taken it more seriously, and that anywhere from 1,000 t0 2,000 of them, depending on who is reporting, have gathered outside the Swiss Embassy in Tripoli. Security forces are guarding the building.
Meanwhile, Hannibal Qadaffi has visited Max Goeldi in prison in Libya, in the presence of reporters.
Goeldi, with his lawyer present, said he was glad to have an opportunity to meet the young man. Hannibal is the son of Libya’s leader. The son’s arrest in Geneva in July 2008 sparked a political battle that continues. Goeldi is one of two Swiss businessmen who were arrested shortly afterwards and charged 18 months later with visa and tax violations. Goeldi is serving a four-month prison sentence while the other businessman, Rachid Hamdani, was freed last week.
Libya says there is no link between Hannibal’s arrest and that of the two Swiss businessmen.
Links to other sites: 20 Minutes, Fre, NZZ, Ger
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News story, GenevaLunch, 1 March 2010.
Filed under: Politics
Tags: crowds, embassy, Hannibal Qadaffi, jihad, Libya, Max Goeldi, Muammar, prison, surrounded, Switzerland, UN