Gaddafi: New York’s most hated neighbour

The Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi has just made himself even more unpopular in the United States than he already was following the controversial release of the Lockerbie bomber - by trying to pitch his Bedouin tent Westchester County, north of New York City, much to the disgust of local bigwigs.

The move also proved highly embarrassing to the Trump Organisation who, it appears, were hoodwinked into renting the 113-acre estate to Gaddafi.

Today, locals got their own back when officials descended on the Seven Springs estate and used local planning laws to have work on the tent stopped.

The colonel, who recently celebrated 40 years in power in Tripoli, is visiting New York for the UN General Assembly on Thursday, where he will address a meeting of the Council of Foreign Relations. He plans to spend the nights at Libya's diplomatic mission in Manhattan. But he wanted somewhere to entertain, and his team finally leased the estate from Trump after being turned away elsewhere.

"He's not going to have many fans in Bedford or Westchester County, certainly not me," said Vincent Liebell, a New York state senator, as media helicopters photographed the gigantic tent, completed with rugs and wall-hangings, as it was erected on the Seven Springs estate which straddles the towns of Bedford, New Castle and North Castle. "There's not going to be any welcome mat for him in Bedford."

Some locals were intent on having Gaddafi evicted and called the authorities. "I discussed this matter with town officials," said Joel Sachs, an attorney from the area, "and the town building inspector believes that this would constitute a violation of several town zoning and land use laws."

Sachs directed the town building inspector to visit the property immediately and issue a stop work order. When the building inspector first arrived on Tuesday, he was unable to get his orders across, because nobody working on the erection of the tent spoke English - but eventually the Libyan entourage was pursuaded to down tools.

Was the Trump Organisation aware that it was Gaddafi renting the estate? The foundation said that "the property was leased on a short-term basis to Middle Eastern partners, who may or may not have a relationship to Mr Gaddafi. We are looking into the matter."

If Gaddafi's aides hadn't let the Trump people know who they were representing, it would be par for the course. Searching for a place to pitch the colonel's tent, they had already resorted to subterfuge, posing as Dutch diplomats while enquiring about a mansion on the Upper East Side, and then as Sri Lankans who wanted to rent a house in Riverdale.

"Dealing with a terrorist country just wouldn't be good business," said John Fitzgerald, who turned down a $60,000 offer for the Riverdale house. "I also don't like to deal with liars. It was a no-brainer."