Furious Libya threatens reprisals for ‘piracy’

Press, 6 February 1986, Page 8

Furious Libya threatens reprisals for ‘piracy’

NZPQ-Reuter Tripoli, Libya Libya has accused the United States of collusion with Israel in the forcing down of a Libyan aircraft yesterday, saying Washington was Israel’s “partner in crime.” In the first official comment on Israel’s interception of the Libyan jet, Tripoli radio said in a commentary that Libya was capable of endangering all forms of travel in the region in response to “the Zionist piracy.” The Libyan plane was forced to land in Israel en

route from Tripoli to Damascus. Aboard was a top Syrian official. Damascus has called for an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council. “It is not the Zionists and the Americans alone who have jets and fighters. It is not the Zionists and the Americans alone who are able to hijack planes in the region’s airspace ... and if the Americans and Zionists want to open this door then the others are able to respond to this provocation and there will not remain a single safe

means of travel,” the radio said. The United States Defence Department denied having anything to do with the interception. Libyan radio had accused the United States 6th Fleet of providing information to Israeli jets that intercepted the Libyan aircraft “Would America have been so silent if a Zionist plane had been intercepted instead of an Arab plane ... but what can one expect from America, which is the partner in crime?” The radio appealed for

the world’s understanding “when we decide to strike back.” It said the Israelis had proved, by this “act of piracy,” that they were the real terrorists and were “dragging the world into hell.” Israeli sources said the interception had aimed at capturing radical Palestinian guerrilla leaders and named Abu Nidal, whose real name is Sabri Banna, and George Habash of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Washington has accused

Tripoli of supporting Abu Nidal, held responsible for the airport attacks at Rome and Vienna on December 27. Libya has denied it. “If the Israelis justify their piracy by saying that they are pursuing this or that Arab then we have the right to pursue the Zionist barbarian killers, who have committed massacres against the Arab people, into the occupied territories and any place in the world and in any means of travel, be it a plane, a car or a ship,” the radio said.