Wrath of Gadhafi prompts senior State Department official to apologize to Libya for insult

US official apologizes for insulting Libya leader

WASHINGTON — A senior State Department official is apologizing for a joking remark he made about Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi that prompted Libya to threaten diplomatic retaliation unless he apologized.

Chief department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Tuesday he regretted any offense caused by his response to a reporter’s question about Gadhafi’s recent call for a holy war against Switzerland. Libya said last week said it might take action against American interests there if a formal apology was not made.

Crowley had already said his offhand remark questioning the “sense” of Gadhafi’s lengthy speech to the U.N. General Assembly last year had not been intended as a personal attack. He met with Libya’s ambassador to the U.S. late last week, but he had not apologized until Tuesday.