Libya Claims Woman Whose Shock Rape Account Stunned World Is Now Free
- Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:10pm by
Emily Esfahani Smith
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- Libyan government says alleged rape victim Iman al-Obeidi is now free
- Her shock account of being raped by Gadhafi troops was cut short by gov’t minders yesterday
- Gov’t minders snatched her away against her will as she told foreign journalists her story
- She says rapists “tied me up … they even defecated and urinated on me”
The Libyan government says a woman who stormed into a Tripoli hotel Saturday to tell foreign reporters that government troops raped her is now with her family.
The government says four men were interrogated in the case, including the son of a high-ranking police officer.
Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim alleged that the woman, Iman al-Obeidi, was a prostitute who refused to accept medical examination, and that she is now with her sister in the Libyan capital.
Her shocking account to foreign journalists of being tortured and gang-raped by Gadhafi forces was cut short by government minders in a melee yesterday.
Al-Obeidi was tackled by waitresses and government minders as she told her story to journalists after rushing into the hotel where many are staying. She claimed loudly that troops had detained her at a checkpoint, tied her up, abused her, then led her away to be gang-raped.
In the middle of her account, al-Obeidi was snatched away by government minders, who put her in a car and drove away from the hotel. Al-Obeidi was taken against her will and feared that she was being sent to prison.
Earlier, hundreds of women marched in Benghazi, Libya, protesting the treatment of al-Obeidi.
Libyan women in Benghazi bravely rallied in support of al-Obeidi:
The Blaze reported on the tragic plight of al-Obeidi yesterday.
Before she was dragged out of the hotel, al-Obeidi managed to tell journalists that she was detained by a number of troops at a Tripoli checkpoint on Wednesday. She said they were drinking whiskey and handcuffed her. She said 15 men later raped her.
“They tied me up … they even defecated and urinated on me,” she said, her face streaming with tears. “The Gadhafi militiamen violated my honor.”
You can watch the live coverage of hotel skirmish here:
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments (80)
FactOrFiction
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 10:20pmThe world is shocked because it’s linked with Ghadaffi, anything to justify the war. I pray this poor woman recovers and is kept safe from harm. I can‘t imagine what it’s like over there, it’s too scary.
Report Post »AmericanStrega
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 9:54pmPropaganda, propaganda, propaganda. The world is going to hell in a handbasket. People of America, If you would remain a free people, prepare yourselves for the fight of your lives. Look at what’s going on here. There are uprisings in every corner of the globe. Even here in the USA (i.e. WI) Prepare for the worse and pray for the best. It’s time to start, if you haven’t already, to collect food, water, guns and ammo. Make a plan with family and/or friends to get to a “safe” place to join up and fight or survive this coming war. Some people here in the US think this is just another reality t.v. show and it will not effect them. That is wrong headed and will get you killed. All we can do is prepare. Please America, prepare and get ready for WWIII. It’s going to be right here on our doorstep. God bless American and good luck.
Report Post »AmeriCat
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 9:42pmIf it is really true that she is with her family,
Report Post »and I have no reason to believe that statement,
then there will soon be an “honor killing.”
Rob_M
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 9:07pmI hope more than 3 men watched her assault or she’s got nothing right?
Report Post »amero
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 9:04pmShes with her family in a body bag most likely. She will probably be another bombed civilian in Tripoli soon. Meanwhile the war effort to help Al Qaida take over Libya is going quite well.
Report Post »bailey08
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:26pmI’m not saying the woman is lying. But I don’t think the rebels are saints.
Do some research to see how gangs of young rebels treat black immigrants in Libya.
It’s not pretty. A story the MSM will not tell.
I want to know what Obama/NATO will do when the rebels start to brutalize the civilians, men, women, children that support Gaddafi. I think some of those punks riding around shooting their guns are every bit as vilolent and bloodthirsty as Gaddafi.
The MSM will do anything to protect Obama, they will pick and choose which stories to tell.
Report Post »uncleherbert
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 7:14pmWe need to stay out of Libya. Another Obama mistake. Why do we need a congress?
Report Post »delhoghe
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 7:12pmI’ll believe all of that when Fox News tells me they believe all of that.
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 7:11pmPigs.. nasty pigs..I say castrate them so they never rape again.. in the square.. like how they stone the women to death
Report Post »QuietTexan
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:43pmTrue or not, does this give any other country to “right” to shoot missiles at another? The President and his advisers had better come up with more compelling arguments to justify this “kinetic military action”. Should we decry the atrocities happening in Libya? Absolutely. Should we offer humanitarian aid? Absolutely. Do we have the “right” to take down a country’s government with only the facts presented? I dont think so.
Report Post »michelle hellgeth
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:13amtexan, you said it better than i could
Report Post »Ashrak
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:35pm“ill believe it when I see her interview with Anderson Cooper, or better yet, Rachel Maddow or best, Ed Schultz.
Report Post »Diamond Girl
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:01pmSorry…I have to wonder about her claims from minute one….we have enemies of our country working against Kadaffy as well, namely al Qaeda- this whole thing seems fishy to me so far.
The msm puts things out there blindly without facts themselves…I grow weary of it all.
Not saying this isn’t true, but I sure as heck have many probs with some of this.
Report Post »BurntHills
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:55pmnaturally they had to portray her as a ”prostitute”. yesterday she was ”drunk” and ”on drugs”.
Report Post »send obama and biden over there to talk to qaddafi and nuke the place.
MinorityRightsAdvocate
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:52pmWhile I have no doubt Gaddafi’s thugs could and actually do this kind of evil, and even that this woman was in fact abused in the worst ways, I also have no difficulty believing the Al-Qaeda rebels could set this up.
I’m seeing a trend here, as in Egypt oppressed women are being set up and martyrs, then after the power shift the business as usual abuse of women continues.
There is powerful evil in this part of the world and it is supported by the extreme radical Muslim men that abuse their female population. These are also the same types of people that would put bombs on children to kill their enemies, so putting a woman out to be abused and then to use that for political effect, well we should EXPECT that kind of thing by now, and add that the twist that it is the women in Obama’s administration that are driving the agenda, and this make perfect sense for the rebels.
http://minorityrightsadvocate.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/religion-of-hypocrisy-religion-of-evil/
Report Post »MinorityRightsAdvocate
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:22pmI just posted a longer explanation of the way the radicals are abusing women to advance their agenda.
http://minorityrightsadvocate.wordpress.com/2011/03/27/leaders-within-radical-islam-learn-to-use-women-as-victims-to-advance-their-agenda/
Report Post »sissykatz
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:48pm@ Pike and Catb
I was thinking the same thing. Do we know for a fact that she is ok?
@Cheez
Are you kidding or did that really happen?
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:16pmAre you kidding or did that really happen?
Report Post »————-
It did happen . Linked by Drudge and Gateway Pundit yesterday.
Showtime
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:22pmSissyKatz ~
Report Post »I answered your question about being rained out. It’s in the California story, almost half way down with the scroll bar.
jungle J
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:45pmshe is an alqueda set up…the rebels are alqueda
Report Post »michelle hellgeth
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:07amdo you say that because of her body language? What part of the clip didn’t convince you she is for real?
Report Post »Lostalodon
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:39pmThe treatment of women in the Middle East is abhorrent. To degrade another human being in this fashion is simply unacceptable.
Report Post »1956Danelectro
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:34pm…. and of course they called her a “prostitute.” Well she must have just been way to hawt to resist in her Abercrombie & Fitch burkha… The problem I see is that just as soon as the next news cycle commences, she will be in a hole in the desert somewhere in God forsaken Libya. Pray for her and her entire family because this one ain’t over.
Report Post »shakenbake
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:34pmThey are animals. The US has no further interest in this country. A zero tolerance sanction policy should be put in place and if Q’daffy hurts any Americans, send a tomahawk to kill him and/or his entire family!
Report Post »W@nd@
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:32pmhow did they get pictures of her and
Report Post »posters made so fast?
seems curious to me….
not that i doubt the savagery or the possibility of her story
but all the same
how do you have the posters at the ready …..already?
in one day
in a war torn region…..2 + 2= ? what….
cheezwhiz
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:39pmLemme guess :
Report Post »Hussain has to give a speech on Monday,
the 3 women who are running this war are looking stupider day by day ,
American people are finding out that Hussain is bombing to aid alqaeda,
lemme watch the movie “ Wag the dog” ..and try to figure it out
michelle hellgeth
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:04amIf you ever traveled to MENA you would have answered your own question. The ppl from that region are magicians with technology. I had a process done to my photos in a cubby hole of a photo store in N Africa. I returned to the states and went to a national camera chain store and asked them to do the same process…”not possible, the equipment is $20,000 and it would takes awhile to get it done even if we had it” Mine was done overseas in 10 mins. I don’t question how they got it done at all
Report Post »vivrobbins
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 2:23amPhotoshop?
Report Post »celestialfire
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 12:03pmMENA is an unlikely travel destination for most Americans so we wouldn’t understand the quick print turn around time. However, it is nice to know they’re technological magicians which explains why all of the MENA demonstrators we see on the news have professional looking posters for their demonstrations. Imagine $20,000 for specialized printing equipment in a MENA country and printing shops in the USA can’t afford it.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:28pmNo doubt she was freed thanks to the pressure by N.O.W. (LOL) Hmm..maybe it was Obama, nah…Hillary?..nah
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 10:01pm@TED …
You been drinking? LOL ..
Report Post »heavyduty
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:26pmThere is really no way to tell whether she is telling the truth or not. But if she is then her body is hers. Libya will never tell the truth unless the reporters can find her. Which I doubt will happen, but I do pray that she is safe now.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:38pmAny reason NOT to believe her? Did you see the videos?
Report Post »jackeric61
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:22pmWelcome to a nation at war. Even their own citizens are targets. This will happen alot more as the war rages on. When humans are faced with death they all become wild animals
Report Post »Tnredneck
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:20pmHer rape “stunned the world”???? Are you kidding me?
Report Post »CatB
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:31pmBusiness as usual for this part of the world …
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:13pmComforting to understand how peaceful their religion is, huh?
Report Post »psycodad36
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:31pmi thought that a prostitute in that part of the world would have been stoned to death.NOT that i would agree with that ,but if they kill they’re own for showing an ankle.then this story of a prostitute has NO merrit
Report Post »Robert-CA
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:35pmTrusting Libyan officials is like trusting liberal news .
Report Post »LAM2
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:14pmThe media coverage and prayers likely saved her life. I pray that she is safe.
“refused a medical examination” — dhimmispeak for a virginity check
Report Post »Pike
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:18pmHave we verified her safety, or are we simply taking the Libyan Governments word for it?
Report Post »lovenfl3
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:20pmThat’s good to hear. Amazing how these Muslims treat women. There is a great video showing how these people feel about women. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcRU63qCJkw
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:24pmWith stories like this out there, one has to wonder how all the liberal women in this country continue to support Muslims. For the record, women according to Islam are considered property and pretty much have no rights to complain about anything.
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:28pmIn the middle of her account, al-Obeidi was snatched away by government minders, who put her in a car and drove away from the hotel. Al-Obeidi was taken against her will and feared that she was being sent to prison.
Report Post »—————
That was in Libya
Now guess where this took place :
Staffers with Vice President Joe Biden confined an Orlando Sentinel reporter in a closet this week to keep him from mingling with high-powered guests gathered for a Democratic fundraiser.
???
CatB
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:30pmProve it !! Supply “proof of life”.
Report Post »HUGGINGMYBABIES
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 5:43pmShe might be with her sister……the question is: is she alive?
Report Post »Gates
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:00pmDefacate – Urinate on her? Have we become so desensitised that we don’t just scream with horror as this kind of behavior? God have mercy on us! It is just beyond belief that we don’t recognize these animals for who and what they are. What is it going to take for us to take a stance against pure unadulterated EVIL? YES EVIL!!
There was a time we would have attacked “animals” like this and given it no second thought. But now that’s not PC and after all, they have rights too, RIGHT? WRONG!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »GONESURFING
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:07pmHope she is safe, but it is hard to really know what is happening over there.
I do think that we should have stayed out of this conflict.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:10pm“Government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim alleged that the woman, Iman al-Obeidi, was a prostitute who refused to accept medical examination….”
Does she act like any prostitute we’ve ever seen reports of?
And how would Moussa Ibrahim know whether she was a prostitute or not?
Did that excuse the behavior of the Mad Dog’s troops?
Gimme a break!
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:11pmWhere’s PETA?!
Report Post »Katayno
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 6:39pmAmazing that the muslim women are the heroines, and ALSO saved our American Journalist last month. They are finally starting to stand up…although, indirectly for OTHERS but not quite yet for themselves. Baby steps.
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 7:00pmThe sad thing is right away they try to demonize her making it sound like it was all her fault and she was a prostitute as if this condones this type of behavior from them. This is just one story from a brave woman, imagine how many others there may be from woman and men who are terrified to bring out some of the other atrocities taking place. I wish her well and see her as a true hero.
Report Post »Nervous Investor
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 7:12pmyou folks surely don‘t believe that this poor woman has been simply released to her sister’s care do you? Come on already ………………… if she is not enduring further atrocities she may already be dead !!!!!!! G‘Daffi’s goons are not gentle folk !!!!!!!!
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 8:39pmYeah they call a woman that wears lipstick a “prostitute”! These animals are NOT to be trusted including the lost cause in the whitehouse!
Report Post »restorehope
Posted on March 27, 2011 at 9:20pmNaive to think that those 15 men who gang raped her would just let her walk away. She is a marked woman and her family is probably in great danger as well. Puzzles me why we are helping Libya at all. We are not going to change the mindset of people who have butchered each other in the name of Allah for centuries.
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 9:23amShe rushes in and give foreign journalists the story about government soldiers doing all this stuff to her and while she is telling the story the government comes in and kidnaps her again in front of the journalists? For anyone believes that she is safe I would like to offer all of them a free months stay at a 20 star luxuray hotel on the Sun where it never gets over a cool 65 degrees temperature.
Report Post »DirectlyUnPCman
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 12:05pmThis is Islam. Whats to respect? And dont give me that line of garbage that its just a few crazy radicals. When the oppotunity for this type of thing arrises, they ALWAYS act upon it…in the name God, of course. And always the victim is to blame.
Report Post »Rice Water
Posted on March 28, 2011 at 12:24pmThis is as egregious as the stories of German soldiers bayonetting Belgian virgins in 1914! Won’t SOMEONE PLEASE think of the CHILDREN!!!
Sex, violence, and propaganda…you’ll never go broke appelaing to the lowest common denominator.
Report Post »