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09-23-2009, 10:27
Muammar Gaddafi Tent Flap Keeps Him in Manhattan
Libyan Leader Due to Speak at United Nations Today
By JOHN BERMAN, RUSSELL GOLDMAN and KIRIT RADIA
Sept. 23, 2009
Shunned Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi slept in the Libyan diplomatic mission last night as officials in the suburban town of Bedford issued a stop-work order on his palatial tent being erected on property owned by Donald Trump. The so-called "mad dog of the Middle East" stayed in Manhattan close the United Nations where he is scheduled to address the General Assembly today. Gaddafi arrived in the U.S. Tuesday evening, the first time he has entered this country or addressed the U.N. since he took power 40 years ago. His reception in the U.S. has been as chilly as a desert night and his aides have wandered around the metro region trying to find a place to pitch their leader's tent.
After being rejected by New York City's Central Park and by the town of Englewood, N.J., the Libyans posed as Dutch diplomats to rent a Manhattan townhouse that had a large roof that could have accommodated a tent.
intermediaries to rent Trump's 113-acre estate called the Seven Springs in the posh Westchester County suburb of Bedford, home to such tyrants of taste as Martha Stewart. As workers began pitching the tent, local officials were pitching a fit. By Tuesday evening, as media helicopters filmed the progress of the tent's construction, the Bedford town lawyer issued a stop work order because there was no permit for the tent.
Bedford town attorney Joel Sachs said a stop order was issued on erecting the tent just after 5 p.m. Tuesday because it is illegal to build a temporary residence without a permit. He called the tent an "illegal structure."
"If no activity has been undertaken, so far as either removing the tent or other equipment, or removing any individuals who may be residing in the tent, then we would then proceed to take one of two types of enforcement actions," Sachs told the Associated Press.
He said the town might "seek an injunction to have the tent taken down and individuals residing in the tent removed from the property."
Trump seemed surprised on Tuesday to find out who was using the property."We have business partners and associates all over the world. The property was leased on a short-term basis to Middle Eastern partners who may or may not have a relationship to Mr. Gaddafi. We are looking into the matter now," Trump Organization spokeswoman Rhonna Graff said in a statement. There was no immediate word from Trump on whether he would cancel the rental deal. Gaddafi's tent has accompanied him on trips to Paris, Rome and Moscow. He apparently distrusts elevators and needs space for his all-female security team.
Diane Sawyer, anchor of "Good Morning America," said today that she has been in Gaddafi's tent in Libya. "It's perfumed, you should know," Sawyer said.
Local officials, law enforcement and the Secret Service confirmed that Gaddafi was renting property in Bedford, but did not know if the dictator was actually planning on staying in the town. State and federal politicians who learned that Gaddafi had rented property in the area were outraged that the Libyan, who has been linked to acts of state-sponsored terror, might sleep among their constituents.
"He's not going to have many fans in Bedford or Westchester County, certainly not me. Don't want to see him in my county or my district. There's not going to be any welcome mat for him in Bedford," Republican State Sen. Vincent L. Leibell said. U.S. Rep John Hall, D-N.Y., said he would contact the State Department and other federal authorities to protest Gaddafi's presence in his district. "This sponsor of terror is not welcome here," Hall said. "Several residents of this area were horrifically murdered on Pan Am Flight 103. Gaddafi's presence in our community is a slap in the face to the memories of these victims and their families, adding to the recent outrage of the hero's welcome Gaddafi staged for the convicted murderer released by Scotland."
Gaddafi's plans have been greeted with similar sentiments elsewhere.
In August, Englewood residents protested the possibility of Gaddafi pitching a tent on property there owned by the Libyan embassy.
Many of the Englewood residents were particularly incensed by the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a Libyan imprisoned in Scotland for the 1988 bombing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, who was warmly welcomed home by Gaddafi last month. "Frankly speaking, I'm glad he won't be sleeping in my city limits," said Michael Wildes, mayor of Englewood and an immigration lawyer. "I can't understand why he won't be served an arrest warrant for the 38 citizens of New Jersey that died in the Lockerbie disaster. "It is my prayer that the State Department will issue a restrictive visa so he won't, under the cover of night, sneak into my town," Wildes said.
Is Libyan oil so valuable that we coddle terrorists now and so quickly forget the past?
Libyan Leader Due to Speak at United Nations Today
By JOHN BERMAN, RUSSELL GOLDMAN and KIRIT RADIA
Sept. 23, 2009
Shunned Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi slept in the Libyan diplomatic mission last night as officials in the suburban town of Bedford issued a stop-work order on his palatial tent being erected on property owned by Donald Trump. The so-called "mad dog of the Middle East" stayed in Manhattan close the United Nations where he is scheduled to address the General Assembly today. Gaddafi arrived in the U.S. Tuesday evening, the first time he has entered this country or addressed the U.N. since he took power 40 years ago. His reception in the U.S. has been as chilly as a desert night and his aides have wandered around the metro region trying to find a place to pitch their leader's tent.
After being rejected by New York City's Central Park and by the town of Englewood, N.J., the Libyans posed as Dutch diplomats to rent a Manhattan townhouse that had a large roof that could have accommodated a tent.
intermediaries to rent Trump's 113-acre estate called the Seven Springs in the posh Westchester County suburb of Bedford, home to such tyrants of taste as Martha Stewart. As workers began pitching the tent, local officials were pitching a fit. By Tuesday evening, as media helicopters filmed the progress of the tent's construction, the Bedford town lawyer issued a stop work order because there was no permit for the tent.
Bedford town attorney Joel Sachs said a stop order was issued on erecting the tent just after 5 p.m. Tuesday because it is illegal to build a temporary residence without a permit. He called the tent an "illegal structure."
"If no activity has been undertaken, so far as either removing the tent or other equipment, or removing any individuals who may be residing in the tent, then we would then proceed to take one of two types of enforcement actions," Sachs told the Associated Press.
He said the town might "seek an injunction to have the tent taken down and individuals residing in the tent removed from the property."
Trump seemed surprised on Tuesday to find out who was using the property."We have business partners and associates all over the world. The property was leased on a short-term basis to Middle Eastern partners who may or may not have a relationship to Mr. Gaddafi. We are looking into the matter now," Trump Organization spokeswoman Rhonna Graff said in a statement. There was no immediate word from Trump on whether he would cancel the rental deal. Gaddafi's tent has accompanied him on trips to Paris, Rome and Moscow. He apparently distrusts elevators and needs space for his all-female security team.
Diane Sawyer, anchor of "Good Morning America," said today that she has been in Gaddafi's tent in Libya. "It's perfumed, you should know," Sawyer said.
Local officials, law enforcement and the Secret Service confirmed that Gaddafi was renting property in Bedford, but did not know if the dictator was actually planning on staying in the town. State and federal politicians who learned that Gaddafi had rented property in the area were outraged that the Libyan, who has been linked to acts of state-sponsored terror, might sleep among their constituents.
"He's not going to have many fans in Bedford or Westchester County, certainly not me. Don't want to see him in my county or my district. There's not going to be any welcome mat for him in Bedford," Republican State Sen. Vincent L. Leibell said. U.S. Rep John Hall, D-N.Y., said he would contact the State Department and other federal authorities to protest Gaddafi's presence in his district. "This sponsor of terror is not welcome here," Hall said. "Several residents of this area were horrifically murdered on Pan Am Flight 103. Gaddafi's presence in our community is a slap in the face to the memories of these victims and their families, adding to the recent outrage of the hero's welcome Gaddafi staged for the convicted murderer released by Scotland."
Gaddafi's plans have been greeted with similar sentiments elsewhere.
In August, Englewood residents protested the possibility of Gaddafi pitching a tent on property there owned by the Libyan embassy.
Many of the Englewood residents were particularly incensed by the release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, a Libyan imprisoned in Scotland for the 1988 bombing of Pan AM Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, who was warmly welcomed home by Gaddafi last month. "Frankly speaking, I'm glad he won't be sleeping in my city limits," said Michael Wildes, mayor of Englewood and an immigration lawyer. "I can't understand why he won't be served an arrest warrant for the 38 citizens of New Jersey that died in the Lockerbie disaster. "It is my prayer that the State Department will issue a restrictive visa so he won't, under the cover of night, sneak into my town," Wildes said.
Is Libyan oil so valuable that we coddle terrorists now and so quickly forget the past?