Feds Question Farrakhan, Gadhafi Ties

The Justice Department wants to know if Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan has become an agent of Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, which would make him liable to register with the U.S. government as a foreign agent.

Officials in the department’s criminal division who enforce the Foreign Agent Registration Act drafted a letter to Farrakhan on Friday based on news reports of his visit to Libya this week, a Justice official said.

At issue is an agreement Farrakhan was reported to have reached in conversations with the Libyan leader in the bedouin tent where Gadhafi meets many of his foreign visitors.

Libya’s official news agency JANA reported the two met Tuesday and discussed how to increase the influence of American minorities in the next U.S. elections. JANA said they agreed to “mobilize the oppressed minorities” - particularly blacks, Arabs, Muslims and American Indians - “to play a significant role in American political life.”