Libya’s leader may have at last found a place to pitch his tent during his first visit to America — on land owned by the tycoon Donald Trump.
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi was reported last night to have rented part of Mr Trump’s Seven Springs estate in the wealthy enclave of Bedford in the northern suburbs of New York.
Helicopter footage on local television stations showed a large Middle Eastern-style tent already erected on the grounds. The town set up "No parking" signs near the estate on Oregon Road.
As Colonel Gaddafi arrived in New York last night, a State Department official confirmed that a tent was being erected for him on the estate. The Libyan leader was expected to use it only for entertainment, and would spend the nights at his country’s diplomatic mission in Manhattan.
The Westchester Journal News quoted Sergeant Thomas Diebold as saying that the local police force was notified by the US Secret Service earlier in the day. The Trump Organisation did not seem to be sure who its paying guest was, however. "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," it said.
The 213-acre (86-hectare) estate, with a 39,000sq ft (3,600sq m) mansion, was once owned by the Rockefeller family. Local politicians were quick to react to the news, in view of the controversy over the release of the convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdel Baset Ali al-Megrahi.
"There is no legal way to prevent this as he is a head of state, despite the fact that he has a long history as a terrorist. However, from my point of view, he is not welcome in Westchester," said Andy Spano, the county executive.
A building inspector tried yesterday to deliver a "stop work" order because the tent violated local regulations, but no one on the site spoke English.
Congressman John Hall said that he was contacting the State Department. "This sponsor of terror is not welcome here," he 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."
The Libyan leader is due to address the 192-nation UN General Assembly immediately after President Obama today. After unsuccessfully seeking permission to pitch his tent in New York’s Central Park, he was barred from using a Libyan-owned estate in New Jersey and reportedly rebuffed by the luxury Pierre Hotel.
Libyan officials failed to rent an Upper East Side mansion by posing as Dutch diplomats. They then posed as Sri Lankans to try to rent a luxury house in Riverdale, just north of Manhattan, also without success.
"Dealing with a terrorist country just wouldn’t be good business," said John Fitzgerald, the developer who turned down a $60,000 (£37,000) offer to rent the Riverdale house. "I also don’t like to deal with liars. It was a no-brainer."
Colonel Gaddafi will attend the Security Council with Gordon Brown and Mr Obama on Thursday and will address the Council on Foreign Relations, a foreign policy association.
President Ahmadinejad of Iran, another awkward guest at the UN, warmed up for his trip by threatening to "cut off the hand" of any potential attackers as Tehran flaunted its military hardware in a parade.