US apologises over Gaddafi comments

The US state department has apologised for comments made about Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s call for jihad against Switzerland. Department spokesman PJ Crowley, who made the dismissive comments, said they did not reflect US policy and were not intended to offend.

Col Gaddafi had criticised a Swiss vote against the building of minarets and urged Muslims to boycott the country.

Mr Crowley described it as “lots of words, not necessarily a lot of sense.”

Libya and Switzerland are embroiled in a long-running diplomatic row.

Clarification

Source: BBC NEWS