State Papers: Haughey branded Gaddafi as 'mad' during meeting with John Major

The Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was branded as “mad” by the then Taoiseach Charles Haughey. Picture: Ernesto Ruscio/Getty Images

The Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was branded as “mad” by the then taoiseach Charles Haughey during a private meeting with the British prime minister, John Major, in 1991.

State papers released under the 30-year rule show Mr Haughey warned his British counterpart about the unstable nature of the colourful North African leader against a background of Libyan support for the IRA.