Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Gaddafi's captive audience (photo: ANSA)
Some party. After getting dressed for what they thought would be a Sunday night festival of fun in a posh Rome neighborhood, 200 young Italian women found themselves being pitched to convert to Islam by none other than Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was attending a United Nations food conference in the city. The women were responding to an advertisement posted by a local agency seeking “attractive girls between 18 and 35 years old” and 5’7’’ or taller. Miniskirts and low-cut dresses were out of the question, but high heels and fur coats were a-okay.
In a nation where the prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is known to enjoy being surrounded by beautiful women, this group must have expected at least an exciting evening. But after cooling their heels for about an hour at the Libyan ambassador’s residence, the women were greeted by Gaddafi, who went on and on about why they should become Muslims. Gaddafi’s lecture included claims that Jesus Christ was not crucified and his insistence that Islam is not anti-woman. “Jesus was sent to the Jews,” he said, “not for you, but Muhammad was sent to all humans.”
Although the evening did not pan out as they had hoped, the women did not leave empty handed. Each received $75, a copy of the Quran and a copy of The Green Book, in which Gaddafi expounds on his philosophy of life. They also received an invitation to visit him in Libya.
-Noel Brinkerhoff, David Wallechinsky
Gaddafi Preaches to Rome Beauties (by Mark Duff, BBC News)
Colonel Gaddafi Preaches Islam to 200 Glamour Girls (by Nick Squires, Telegraph)
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi Invites 500 Italian Women to Villa and Lectures Them on Islam (by Richard Owen, Times of London)
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