Libyan Leader Sparks Religious Controversy in Italy

VOA News  Monday, August 30th, 2010

Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has sparked controversy in Italy after trying to convert hundreds of Italians to Islam.

Gadhafi preached and handed our Korans to nearly 500 young women attending a lecture Sunday in Rome. Pro-vatican politicians harshly criticized Gadhafi’s actions and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s failure to criticize the event.

The Libyan leader is in Italy to mark the second anniversary of a

friendship treaty between the two countries. Italy has agreed to pay Libya $5 billion and to build a road across the country to compensate for more than three decades of colonization.

The deal also allows the Italian navy to return illegal immigrants found at sea to Libya. Human rights groups have criticized the decision.

Italy also has plans to invest billions of dollars in the energy business in the north African nation in the coming years.

Mr. Berlusconi and Gadhafi are celebrating the anniversary by touring a photography exhibit and attending an equestrian show.

Some information in this story was provided by AP, AFP and Bloomberg.