'Colonel Gaddafi was very polite and a funny man': British actress invited to Islam conversion party described meeting with Libyan leader
By NICK PISA
Last updated at 2:27 PM on 31st August 2010
A British actress was among 500 glamorous women invited to a 'convert to Islam party' thrown by Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in Italy yesterday.
Clio Evans, 28, was recruited via an agency along with hundreds of other women for the second day running as Gaddafi called on them to embrace Islam during an official visit.
It is the fourth time in less than a year the Libyan leader has hosted such an event.
Italian politicians and the Vatican condemned the party and branded claims that three women had converted as 'a stunt'.
'Humorous': British actress Clio Evans, 28, said Colonel Gaddafi was very polite and she had been to three of his talks on Islam
Criticism: A group of 200 young women attended the meeting, many of them arranged through an Italian company Hostessweb
Glamorous: Miss Evans speaks to the media as she arrives for the conversion party at the Libyan Academy in Rome
'Spontaneous': One of three women who were said to have converted to Islam after attending the party hosted by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi
A woman carrying a copy of the Koran arrives for the talk and, security allows more women into the Libyan Academy
Ms Evans attended the event at the Libyan Academy in Rome wearing a gold chain and a 'Gaddafi' medallion which he gave her following a visit to the north African country earlier this year.
The British actress, who lives in Rome, said: 'Colonel Gaddafi was very polite and also very humorous. He is a funny man. This is the third lecture he has given that I have been to.
'I haven't converted, I am staying Christian but I have been to Libya three times to visit him and we have become very good friends. He gave me a gold chain with his picture as a present.
'Today he said that he wanted to invite people to convert to Islam and that women were treated much better in Libya than they were anywhere else in the world.
'He said that Islam was the one true religion and that if Christ returned to Earth he would be a Muslim. I can see that some of the girls may have been shocked by what he said as Italy is a Catholic country.
'We were all given a drink but there was no alcohol and he lectured to us from the Koran. It was basically the same speech as last November when I went the first time and on Sunday.'
Ms Evans confirmed that she had been paid €70 per day to 'cover her expenses' after being contacted by a Rome based agency specialising in providing girls for events called Hostessweb.
Ms Evans added: 'Gaddafi said that Islam was the sum of all religions and if there was only one faith it would be that of the prophet Mohammad but he didn't get any of us to convert there on the spot.
Bling: Miss Evans wears a medallion given to her by Colonel Gaddafi
Pledge: The Libyan leader was celebrating the two-year anniversary of an agreement with Italy which has promoted development in the African country
Friendship: Gaddafi blows kisses to the crowd in Rome's Navona square during his two-day visit
Conversion: Gaddafi enjoys a coffee in Campo de' Fiori square before hosting the party at the Libyan Academy
Arrival: The Libyan leader emerges from his plane followed by his bodyguards at Ciampino Airport
'I have been to see him three times in Libya and he has always been very kind to me. He is not as scary as people say he is. He said that women were well treated in Libya and could do whatever they wanted.'
However last night there was growing outrage that Gaddafi had been allowed to host the event and rising anger against Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for inviting him.
Farefuturo, a right wing think tank led by Gianfranco Fini, Berlusconi's deputy who has had a falling out with him, said in a statement: 'Italy has become the Disneyland of Gaddafi and his senile vanities.
'Sadly that's what the politics of his country has come to - if you pay then you are always right.'
Rome daily newspaper il Messaggero thundered in a front page editorial: 'What would happen if a European leader went to Libya or any other Muslim state and invited its people to convert to Christianity?
'At the least it would provoke a very strong outcry but at least here we are tolerant of religion - something that has not yet been achieved by Islam.'
Rocco Buttiglione, a centre right MP with close links to the Vatican, said:'What would happen if one went to Tripoli and invited people to convert ? I bet they wouldn't come back in one piece.
'It's amazing that the government has made no official comment on this. Gaddafi needs to have more respect. You can't come to Italy or Europe and and say convert when you don't allow religious tolerance in Libya.'
Monsignor Domenico Mogavero, of the Italian Catholic Bishops Conference, said: 'I don't believe for one minute there were any conversions. It is all a stunt. Conversion is not something taken lightly and sponanteously.'
Last night Gaddafi was due to end his visit to Italy with a spectacular display of riding skills after flying in 30 Berber horses from Tripoli at which Berlusconi will be guest of honour.
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