February 05, 2005
FRANCE has lodged a protest with Libya after Hannibal Gaddafi, youngest son of Muammar Gaddafi, allegedly beat up a woman in a Paris hotel, scuffled with police, brandished a gun and falsely claimed diplomatic immunity.
The Foreign Ministry issued a statement deploring the incident after the French police officers' union expressed anger at the way in which Mr Gaddafi, 29, had twice made fools of them through his claim to immunity in the past six months.
"We are letting the Libyan authorities know about our unhappiness over these repeated incidents caused by Hannibal Gaddafi," the ministry said. "Mr Gaddafi does not benefit from diplomatic immunity."
In September, Mr Gaddafi, who is a student at a business school in Copenhagen, was released on the spot by police, who had pursued him as he allegedly drove his black Porsche at speeds of up to 140km/h through red lights on the wrong side of the Champs Elysees while drunk.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,12149971%255E29677,00.htmlHannibal? You couldn't make this stuff up.