People in the N-Jay do not want Gadhafi pitching a tent in their community, especially in light of the fact that so many of the Americans murdered, came from the Garden State.
NEWARK, N.J. – A northern New Jersey mayor said he’s going to court Friday to stop renovation work at the mansion where Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi wants to stay next month when he addresses the United Nations General Assembly.
“If the U.S. State Department won’t shut this down, we will,” Englewood Mayor Michael Wildes said. “New Jersey’s governor, its two U.S. senators and its U.S. congressmen are all on board on this.”
Libyan intelligence is widely believed to have orchestrated the 1988 attack on Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, which killed all 259 aboard — including 38 people from New Jersey. Gadhafi, who has worked to try to rehabilitate his image in recent years, provoked a backlash last week by helping secure the release of the only man arrested in the bombing from a Scottish prison. Television cameras captured Gadhafi giving Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the convicted bomber, a warm greeting as a cheering crowd welcomed him back to Libya.
Already, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, U.S. senators and representatives from New York and New Jersey have protested Gadhafi’s plan to stay at the sprawling estate in the upscale community 12 miles from Manhattan when he addresses the UN next month. Gadhafi is expected to pitch a ceremonial Bedouin-style tent on the grounds, after a request to erect it in Manhattan’s Central Park was rejected, according to officials.
“I support what Mayor Wildes is trying to do,” said Kara Weipz, of Mount Laurel, N.J., whose 20-year-old brother Richard Monetti was on board Pan Am Flight 103. “The one thing we do not want is Gadhafi in New Jersey.”
The Libyan government, which bought the Englewood estate in 1982, is renovating the property extensively. Wildes said mansion workers have violated numerous city ordinances by tearing down trees and part of a neighboring fence and expanding the mansion’s pool without proper permits. He said they may also have violated state environmental rules by encroaching upon a stream that runs through the 5-acre property.
The city previously sought to slow the renovation via a stop work order, which allowed the imposition of fines. The Libyans have ignored the order. The injunction will allow Wildes to send Englewood police onto the property to halt work.
The city plans to request an injunction Friday at 3 p.m. from Bergen County Superior Court Judge Robert Contillo. Wildes said he expects a decision from Contillo in the next few days.
“The governor supports the mayor’s efforts and has repeatedly said that Gadhafi is not welcome in New Jersey,” said Robert Corrales, a spokesman for Corzine.
U.S. Rep. Steve Rothman, whose district includes Englewood, has promised there will be “hell to pay” if the U.S. State Department lets Gadhafi stay in Englewood.
The four U.S. senators from New York and New Jersey, all Democrats, said they will introduce a resolution condemning Al-Megrahi’s release and his welcome home to Libya.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey described the welcome as “sick.”
“To see such a celebration for a murderer was a shocking insult to decency,” Lautenberg said.
Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said the Libyan government should apologize. Fifty-nine New Yorkers died in the 1988 bombing.
“The victims’ families have had no peace since the day this evil act occurred and now their wounds have been reopened,” Schumer said.
Ahmed Gebreel, a spokesman for the Libyan Mission to the United Nations, was unavailable for comment. Nicole DiCocco, spokeswoman for the Libyan Embassy in Washington, D.C., declined to comment.
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Kristofer Lorelli can be contacted at lorville@rogers.com, on Facebook and twitter/Kris_Lorelli
August 28th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Poll: 4% of Jewish Israelis think Obama is pro-Israel http://bit.ly/2lf9nV
August 28th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
Israeli, Saudi Arabian, and U.S. government are puppets for The British globalists. These globalist bankers are behind the planned demolition of the U.S. economy, JFK assassination, 9/11, The vietnam war and anything else you can name where people suffered and died in America. The CFR runs our government and are puppets for these New World Order lumps of feces. Time to stop voting for either of the one party two headed snake and take our country back.
August 28th, 2009 at 3:17 pm
I’m sorry we missed this guy back in the ’80′s.
August 28th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Rich;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFves5XqBJU
August 28th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
The Last Jews of Libya trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8QpQi_FNVo&feature=related
August 28th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
I’ll have to watch that when I get home, Kris. I’ll need the popcorn and comfy shoes!
August 28th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Does anyone have the Tomcat video from the dog fight over the MEd?
August 28th, 2009 at 4:21 pm
F-14 v. Gadhafi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wr98NprU18
August 28th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
I heard in the news tonight that Gadhafi is not staying in New Jersey.
August 28th, 2009 at 7:50 pm
UAE Seizes North Korean Weapons Shipment to Iran
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20670001&sid=aVcplXM3sCCk
August 28th, 2009 at 10:09 pm
#4 That was a great clip! What’s wrong with us now, that we’re afraid to call evil what it is? One of Pres Reagan’s greatest gifts to this country was doing that. People may not have liked it, but they respected it.