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| UN slams Libya anti-Swiss 'jihad' | UN slams Libya anti-Swiss 'jihad' |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A top UN official has condemned as "inadmissible" Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's call for a jihad, or holy war, against Switzerland. | A top UN official has condemned as "inadmissible" Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's call for a jihad, or holy war, against Switzerland. |
| "Such declarations on the part of the head of state are inadmissible in international relations," said Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the UN chief in Geneva. | "Such declarations on the part of the head of state are inadmissible in international relations," said Sergei Ordzhonikidze, the UN chief in Geneva. |
| Mr Gaddafi criticised a Swiss vote against the building of minarets and urged Muslims to boycott the country. | Mr Gaddafi criticised a Swiss vote against the building of minarets and urged Muslims to boycott the country. |
| Libya and Switzerland are embroiled in a long-running diplomatic row. | Libya and Switzerland are embroiled in a long-running diplomatic row. |
| The dispute dates back to 2008, when one of Mr Gaddafi's sons was arrested in Geneva, accused of assaulting two servants. | The dispute dates back to 2008, when one of Mr Gaddafi's sons was arrested in Geneva, accused of assaulting two servants. |
| A Swiss foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment on the jihad call. | A Swiss foreign ministry spokesman declined to comment on the jihad call. |
| Hannibal Gaddafi's arrest in 2008 sparked the diplomatic spat | Hannibal Gaddafi's arrest in 2008 sparked the diplomatic spat |
| The Libyan leader made his comments while speaking at a meeting to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. | The Libyan leader made his comments while speaking at a meeting to mark the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. |
| "Let us wage jihad against Switzerland, Zionism and foreign aggression," he said. | "Let us wage jihad against Switzerland, Zionism and foreign aggression," he said. |
| "Any Muslim in any part of the world who works with Switzerland is an apostate, is against Muhammad, God and the Koran." | "Any Muslim in any part of the world who works with Switzerland is an apostate, is against Muhammad, God and the Koran." |
| Mr Ordzhonikidze, director-general of the UN mission in Geneva, said the UN's security in Switzerland was very professional and well-prepared for any incident. He was responding to questions from journalists about Mr Gaddafi's "jihad" call. | Mr Ordzhonikidze, director-general of the UN mission in Geneva, said the UN's security in Switzerland was very professional and well-prepared for any incident. He was responding to questions from journalists about Mr Gaddafi's "jihad" call. |
| In a referendum last November, 57.5% of Swiss voters approved a constitutional ban on the building of minarets. An appeal against the ban has been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights. | In a referendum last November, 57.5% of Swiss voters approved a constitutional ban on the building of minarets. An appeal against the ban has been submitted to the European Court of Human Rights. |
| Tit-for-tat quarrel | |
| Earlier this month, Libya stopped issuing visas to citizens from many European nations - those in the Schengen border-free travel zone. That drew condemnation from the European Commission. | |
| Libya's move came after Switzerland allegedly blacklisted 188 high-ranking Libyans, denying them entry permits. The Swiss ban is said to include Mr Gaddafi and his family. | |
| The row began after the arrest of Mr Gaddafi's son Hannibal and his wife, Aline Skaf, in Geneva in July 2008. | |
| They were accused of assaulting two servants while staying at a luxury hotel in the Swiss city, though the charges were later dropped. | |
| Libya retaliated by cancelling oil supplies, withdrawing billions of dollars from Swiss banks, refusing visas to Swiss citizens and recalling some of its diplomats. | |
| In the same month that the Gaddafis were arrested, Libyan authorities detained two Swiss businessmen, in what analysts believe was a retaliatory move. | |
| One was finally allowed to leave the country earlier this week but the second was transferred to jail, where he faces a four-month term on immigration offences. |