Beyonce performed in St. Barts at one of the most star-studded New Years Eve bashes this year for the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Russell Simmons, her husband Jay-Z, Usher and Jon Bon Jovi--and the family of terror-happy Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi footed the bill.
Mediaite.com first reported on Sunday that the Gaddafi family threw the party, and Tuesday Page Six confirmed that the host was Moammar's youngest son, the aptly-named Hannibal, who has been involved in a number of violent incidents in recent years.
Just Christmas Day Hannibal, 33, reportedly beat his wife, Libyan model Aline Skaf, 29, until her face was bleeding heavily and her nose was clearly broken. Three of his security guards were arrested and Hannibal got off on diplomatic immunity. In 2005 he was arrested, but not charged, for punching Skaf and wielding a handgun in a Paris hotel.
In 2008 Hannibal and his then-pregnant wife were detained in Switzerland for beating their servants in a luxury hotel. His dad retaliated for his son's mistreatment by arresting Swiss nationals and closing Swiss businesses, sparking a diplomatic crisis, and charges were dropped. In 2004 Hannibal made a name for himself when he led a high-speed police chase, driving drunk and on the wrong side of the road through central Paris. Again he was protected by diplomatic immunity. He has also been involved in several police scuffles.
I am sure that Beyoncé was paid good money for this New Year's Eve performance, and it must have been wonderful to be surrounded by fellow celebrity friends and her husband. But it seems a little mindless to keep your mind only on your money and not on the larger implications of who you are doing business with. You would think the world-wide contempt for persons linked to terrorism, no matter how distant the connection, would have made Mrs. Jigga think twice before taking the cash of a person with such a history. But a close relative of a long-standing enemy of the United States? That was a bad moral and a bad business move.
As the Tiger Woods scandal has shown, bad moral moves and business moves are very often closely related. I am sure that Beyoncé and her handlers did not mean any harm, and were just not thinking too hard when they made this business deal. They were probably blinded by a check with a whole lot of zeroes. But as this story spreads across the Web, the fire of public outrage may actually cost more than this paycheck was worth.
>>BV Members Post Pics of Party Funded By Hannibal Gaddafi
Comments: (253)
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By: John on 1/05/2010 7:37PM
The US, UK and other countries have normalized relationship with Libya. You barely hear about Libya in the news as being a threat to the US anymore. Most people you asked on the street wouldn't even know there was even a problem between the US and Libya at one time. Beyonce is only 28 years old, and most of those things happened when she was very young. Most people barely keep abreast of what's going on now, let alone something from 15-20 years ago. Yes, I don't know how anybody can expect her to know about this Khadafi's son's personal history unless she did a background check on him. And would any of this stuff have come up anyway if he had immunity. She just needs to learn to do a through background checks on people. Mariah did the party last year and many celebrities attended, so Beyonce isn't the only one who didn't maybe know all this history.
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By: BJ on 1/06/2010 4:34PM
If all it takes is a check for Bey to preform for terriost then she should also do a show for the KKK. I am a Bey supporter but damn she is foul on this one...
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By: Yolanda on 1/05/2010 8:00PM
Beyonce was a child when this stuff happened. Most average Americans wouldn't know the history of any of this. Beyonce isn't a politician or historian, she's an entertainer. Btw, the US and Libya normalized relationship. They're not considered enemies of the US, and the US government has been doing business with them for oil since 2006. If it wasn't a big deal when Mariah Carey performed, it shouldn't be a big deal that Beyonce did it, either.
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By: okidoke on 1/06/2010 8:14AM
@ Yolanda who posted: "...Most average Americans wouldn't know the history of any of this. Beyonce isn't a politician or historian, she's an entertainer." &&&&&& True, but isn't that a sad commentary on the current generation???? Is this generation so busy being "entertained" that they don't pay attention or learn about past events (and the people surrounding those events) that are not that far removed from current issues - um, like TERRORISM! Your enemies are absolutely delighted that this generation seems to be more interested in being "entertained" than being aware of the world around them, the dangers lurking, and the people that wish to do them harm. Good luck to us all...
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By: Tasha on 1/05/2010 10:17PM
President Bush said that Libya was okay to do business with and no longer a threat to America. I don't know how anybody would think that an ordinary citizen should know more than our government about foreign affairs. Especially an entertainer whose job isn't really to know all this political stuff. I don't keep abreast of all these issues the way I should. I can't say how much somebody else should know about them.
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By: Tasha on 1/05/2010 10:24PM
Nobody is trying to spin Beyonce back into perfection. I'm just saying a lot of people don't know about this stuff, myself included. Have you ever watched Jay Leno and saw him ask people what most people think are general knowledge questions. The people get them wrong. A lot of people don't know and understand about the Middle East. It's a lot of people that can't name the capitals of each of the 50 states of the US, either. The only thing I'm saying is that her job is to entertain she might not be that into politics and history. A lot of people are not.
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By: Evelyn on 1/06/2010 12:31AM
Samantha, your comments surely do tell your age. But remember in this world, "There is no excuse for ignorance." Just because you like Beyounce, don't let her make you an ignorant fool. Terroist, whether it is the father or the son, is from the same family and back ground. His actions alone by himself is enough for Beyounce to have said, "NO." But we all know that for MOST celebrities, the bottom line is the dollar. You need to grow, get some more education or your children when and or if you have them, "WILL BE DOOMED." Beyounce has no moral fibers in her body about herself, let alone other people. She was dressed wrong when she came out as a teenager when her Mom dressed her and she is wrong now. I never understood why men want other men to see their stuff? Society at large, especially the rich are killing this country. I hope she has enough money to build what can't be destroyed by terroist. Its like put her candy in front of them to let them see how ignorant we are. Most countries don't give a damn about America yet, we keep going to them. I hope they don't end in a country one day and can't get back. Grow up child. You're as bad as the young that says, "They don't want to talk or hear about slavery." Just because we allowed the cops to beat the hell out of us, while dogs attacked us and getting plummeted with water hoses, was not for our young to exploit themselves and to forget where we came from. Let your Mom read your blog and see what she thinks of it. Or better yet, Grandma because Mama may be young enough to be your sister.
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By: Evelyn on 1/07/2010 2:21PM
You are just as sad as Samantha. How old are you guys with this ignorance. Is it that you have no education? And I say the same to you John as I did Samantha and please grow up and get some education.
Samantha, your comments surely do tell your age. But remember in this world, "There is no excuse for ignorance." Just because you like Beyounce, don't let her make you an ignorant fool. Terroist, whether it is the father or the son, is from the same family and back ground. His actions alone by himself is enough for Beyounce to have said, "NO." But we all know that for MOST celebrities, the bottom line is the dollar. You need to grow, get some more education or your children when and or if you have them, "WILL BE DOOMED." Beyounce has no moral fibers in her body about herself, let alone other people. She was dressed wrong when she came out as a teenager when her Mom dressed her and she is wrong now. I never understood why men want other men to see their stuff? Society at large, especially the rich are killing this country. I hope she has enough money to build what can't be destroyed by terroist. Its like put her candy in front of them to let them see how ignorant we are. Most countries don't give a damn about America yet, we keep going to them. I hope they don't end in a country one day and can't get back. Grow up child. You're as bad as the young that says, "They don't want to talk or hear about slavery." Just because we allowed the cops to beat the hell out of us, while dogs attacked us and getting plummeted with water hoses, was not for our young to exploit themselves and to forget where we came from. Let your Mom read your blog and see what she thinks of it. Or better yet, Grandma because Mama may be young enough to be your sister.
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By: c on 1/06/2010 10:28PM
Evelyn, Evelyn! Have you ever thought maybe this guy use a business name to make this deal for Beyonce to perform? Do we know all the names(owners) of big companies that we deal with daily?Or who they abuse and take advantage of. NO!NO! Why do you live in fear? The point of her performing is to make money.
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By: Sheila on 1/06/2010 6:31AM
When people have their own lives in order is when they can past judgement on another - otherwise as the cliche' goes - opinions are like butt holes - everyone has one. Peace....
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