European Forum

Libya's leader Gaddafi calls for jihad against Switzerland

The leader of Libya, Muammar Gaddafi, called yesterday (25 February) for a "jihad" or armed struggle against Switzerland. "Any Muslim in any part of the world who works with Switzerland is an apostate, is against (the Prophet) Mohammad, God and the Koran," Gaddafi said during a meeting to mark the Prophet's birthday. "The masses of Muslims must go to all airports in the Islamic world and prevent any Swiss plane landing, [..] and inspect all shops and markets to stop any Swiss goods being sold," Gaddafi said. The Swiss Foreign Ministry said it had no comment on Gaddafi's remarks.

Diplomatic row
Libya's relations with Switzerland broke down in July 2008, when Geneva police detained Hannibal Gaddafi, the notoriously violent son of the Libyan leader, along with his wife, after his staff filed a complaint about having been beaten up. Both were released on bail a day later, but Tripoli launched a salvo of economic and diplomatic sanctions against the Swiss. When two Swiss businessmen were arrested and denied exit from Libya, Bern blacklisted 180 Libyans, including the Gaddafi family, which means that they can no longer be issued a Schengen visa. They can receive, however, national visas from European countries. Tripoli has subsequently imposed a visa ban on all Schengen states.

Ministers in Europe's passport-free Schengen area are divided in evaluating how Switzerland used the Schengen system in its diplomatic row with Libya. Interior Ministers at a debate yesterday called on both Bern and Tripoli to "redouble their diplomatic efforts" in order to end a dispute which has now had an impact on almost all EU countries - except Great Britain, Ireland, Bulgaria and Romania, which are not part of Schengen. "We expressed support for Switzerland, which is a member of the Schengen area," Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Rubalcaba, who chaired the talks, said during a press conference. At the request of Italy and Malta, Ministers discussed the way Switzerland used the area's blacklisting system and if this measure was appropriate in the bilateral row with Libya.

“Blacklisting is normal procedure”
Speaking to reporters in Brussels yesterday, Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf defended the blacklisting move. "We feel, as a member of the Schengen area, we were allowed to do it," she said. Diplomats say blacklisting is a common procedure and the Swiss did inform the other countries about the move. But Italy now presses for stricter rules and "political consultation" ahead of such steps. Italian Interior Minister, Roberto Maroni, said Bern had no right to "use the Schengen system to put political pressure" on another country.
 
“Jihad against obscene state”
Libya, meanwhile, says the Geneva arrest and the case of the two businessmen are not linked. "Let us fight against Switzerland, Zionism and foreign aggression," said Gaddafi, adding that "this is not terrorism," in contrast with the work of al Qaeda which he called a "kind of crime and a psychological disease." He, furthermore, accused Switzerland of being an "infidel, obscene state which is destroying mosques," in reference to a Swiss referendum verdict barring construction of minarets. He called for a "jihad against it with all means." Gaddafi was speaking before leading prayers in a Benghazi square in the presence of envoys from dozens of Muslim countries.

Gaddafi's call has led to criticism within the United Nations head-office in Geneva. Director-General Sergei Ordzhonikidze said that Gaddafi's statement was "intolerable". According to the European Commission the call by the Libyan leader is an "unusual expression in the diplomatic world".

Minaret ban
Swiss nationals voted 57.5 per cent in favour of the minaret ban in the November 29 referendum backed by the right-wing Swiss People's Party. The federal government had urged voters to reject it, warning it would contravene religious freedom. An appeal to the European Court of Human Rights against the bill has been submitted.

Sources: Reuters; EU Observer; Volkskrant (Dutch); NOS