EU to press Belgium over Gaddafi security lapse

The European Commission will ask Belgian security services to explain themselves after a security lapse during Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's visit to EU headquarters, a spokesman said yesterday.

Dressed like a security guard with an earpiece and lapel badge, an enthusiastic admirer approached the Libyan leader and got next to him as he was shaking hands with Commission President Romano Prodi.

The man reached into an inside jacket pocket and pulled out an envelope before being hustled away, shouting "Gaddafi, Gaddafi", by Belgian state security officers apparently fearing an attack.

"The security measures (at the Commission) are the responsibility of the Belgian authorities," the EU executive's chief spokesman, Reijo Kempinnen, told a daily news conference.

"I am sure that we will be in touch with the Belgian authorities about what exactly happened and whether they feel the security measures in place were sufficient," he added.

Belgian state security services did not respond to requests for a reaction to the incident.

Most EU heads of state bring their own national security officers for protection when attending summits in Brussels.