AL-QADHDHAFI THREATENS WAR WITH U.S. IN INTERVIEW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP05-01559R000400410015-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 15
• Publication Date: January 29, 1986
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

1111M 16~
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/01/30: CIA-RDP05-01559R000400410015-4
NORTH AFRICA Q I
ALGERIA
Bendjedid Ends Talks With Al-Qadhdhafi, Returns
LD291636 Algiers APS in English
1451 GMT 29 Jan 86
[Text] Algiers, 29/1/86 (APS) - President Chadli Bendjedid
returned here at the end of the political talks he had with Colonel
al-Qadhdhafi and following the inspection and working visit in
south of the country. The head of state arrived on monday in
Ain-amenas in the Wilaya of Illizi coming from Hassi R'mel
where he inaugurated important social and economic
achievements.
Bitat Meets Mexican Foreign Secretary' Amor
LD291314 Algiers APS in Arabic 0700 GMT 29 Jan 86
[Text] Algiers.29 Jan (APS) - Rabeh Bitat, member of the
Politburo (of the Algerian FLN Party) and speaker of the Peop-
le's National Assembly (parliament), yesterday received Ber-
nardo Sepulveda Amor, secretary of foreign relations of the
United Mexican States.
Their talks dealt with bilateral relations between Algeria and
Mexico and their future consolidating, as well as the latest
developments in various regions of the world. The two sides also
exchanged views on consolidating cooperation between the two
countries' parliaments and on the 75th International Parliamen-
tarian Union session.
Al-Qadhdhafi Threatens War With U.S.'in Interview
LD292304 Tripoli Television Service in Arabic
2056 GMT 29 Jan 86
[French Television Channel 2 interview with Libyan Leader
Mu'ammar al-Qadhdhafi by unidentified reporter on 27 Jan-
uary, place not given; questions in French with Arabic
translation, translated from the Arabic except where noted -
recorded]
[Text] [Question] Colonel Al-Qadhdhafi, good evening, you have
just seen these pictures with us. The U.S. warships are sailing off
the Libyan coast. You personally went to meet them in a gunboat
equipped with missiles. Does this mean that the confrontation has
started, if I can use use your expression?
[Answer] If the maneuvers are conducted outside the Libyan
territorial waters, I mean the Libyan territorial waters including
the Gulf of Sidra, then they do not now concern us. If, however,
they reach the Gulf of Sidra, this means they have entered
Libyan territory, and this will mean that the war will definitely
take place, and it will be considered as an unjustified American
attack against the soil and sanctity of Libyan territory. Also,
what I will propose from now onward is the banning of these
maneuvers in the economic zones of the Mediterranean coun-
i i ies, even outside the territorial waters, because the economic
c8-lncg--~6-6D- o
zone, which is the continental shelf, contains economic activities,
such as exploring for resources, gas fields, oil fields, rigs, and
constructions. This is in the Libyan economic zone outside the
Gulf of Sidra, and in the Italian economic zone, and the Greek.
economic zone and the Maltese, and the others. I will propose to
these countries that they ban the implementation of military
maneuvers for the United States and the others in these economic
zones.
As for the Gulf of Sidra, this is a closed subject. Latitude 32
degrees 30 minutes is the beginning of the Gulf of Sidra, and it
is a very sensitive gulf, which divides Libya into two parts. We
will never allow any force to enter into the Gulf of Sidra, because
this will mean that it will divide Libyan soil, because latitude 32
degrees 30 minutes is the line that joins Misratah with Banghazi,
and anyone who crosses is considered as coming between Tripoli
and Banghazi.
[Question] They say that there is a disparity between your power
and the power of the United States.
[Answer] This is not important. Does this mean that the small
countries whose power is not comparable with the powers that
confront them should surrender? This would mean that we have
to surrender the land to the strong, and we would all collapse and
loose our independence. Even the power of Rance is not
equivalent to the power of America and the Soviet Union. Does
this mean that if it is confronted by the Soviet Union or America,
then it should surrender its independence? This subject is not
open for discussion. The important thing is that this is our right.
If we are resorting to force as the only arbiter, then that is it, the
stronger party snatches the land, and we announce that the rest
have no rights.
[Question] A few days ago you said precisely: I am ready to set
the Mediterranean on fire and turn it into blood.
[Answer]Of course, if Libya is subjected to aggression, this would
bean unjust and unjustified aggression. Consequently, Libya will
defend itself. Aggression would come from the Mediterranean,
the U.S. bases in the Mediterranean and the U.S. fleets in the
Mediterranean. This means that the Mediterranean would
become a war zone and acts of violence would be permissible in
it and all the targets in the war zone would be exposed to possible
destruction according to international law and the laws of war.
[Question] Col al-Qadhdhafi, you say military objectives. You
realize, however, I suppose, that in Europe, in the West, your
picture, especially you are, in a way, the face of terrorism.
[Answer] [Al-Qadhdhafi laughs] We must understand what ter-
rorism is so that we can know who is the terrorist. In our
interpretation and in the interpretation of the world what Amer-
ica practices is terrorism and what the Israelis practice is terror-
ism. They consider our sacred and legitimate struggle for the
preservation of our independence terrorism. Therefore, there is
no possibility of understanding. It seems that there are various
cultures and it is regrettable that in the Americans' view is that
this gap should be solved by force and that force should be the
arbiter. The proof of this is that reagan has no logic, he has no
argument. His argument is always to threaten to use force,
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Q 2 NORTH AFRICA
military maneuvers, economic siege, threatening war, or physical
liquidation. I personally have been subjected to various oper-
ations that were disclosed in America. They were preparing
physical liquidation operations and assassinations against me at
the order of Reagan, and implemented by the CIA. Reagan
should have been put on trial as a criminal and violator of the
U.S. Constitution and U.S. laws. He is' a terrorist because he
terrorizes the small peoples, like the Libyan people, and he is
terrorizing the people of Nicaragua. He terrorized and occupied
the people of Grenada because they are a small people. He also
arms the Israelis.
[Question] Can we consider the operations that were carried out
in Rome and Vienna as forms of legitimate resistance?
[Answer] Independent states, as I have anyhow mentioned several
times, who are UN members to not carry out such actions.
However, the Palestinians, who are pursued by Zionism and
imperialism, they see it as a suitable' action in relation to their
issue; to draw the attention of the world. I do not think that we
are living in an era of terrorism except that of the official
terrorism practiced by America against the peoples and that
practiced by Zionism. The rest are merely actions carried out by
peoples or groups to draw the attention of the world'to their cause.
If we were to consider the assassination of Indira Gandhi as a
terrorist act - and we express our regret vis-a-vis this sad event
- we also have to understand what motivated it; it was motivated
by the fact that the Sikhs are a national-cum-religious group'that
wants to be independent and. gain its rights. Thus, the Palestin-
ians are a people who want to liberate their land and, hence, are
forced to take actions that, we, as independent states, would not
consider carrying out. However, those groups consider them
useful and suitable actions. The dangerous terrorism' is the
official terrorism practiced by America and the official terrorism
practiced by the Israelis with American weapons and American
backing; the Sabra and Shatilla massacres and the running over
of entire families of civilians by the Israeli tanks. Why does
Reagan not protest or impose a siege or ban the sale of weapons
to the Israelis, who have carried out extremely horrible acts. The
question seems to be of a racist and crusader nature and Reagan
is Hitler No 2. This. is a new imperialism, a new Nazism resur-
rected to threaten world peace. At least we are in the Mediterra-
nean Sea, let them leave us in our Mediterranean Sea. We want
to maintain peace, trade, tourism, culture, and mutual interests
across the Mediterranean sea and let America go to the oceans
and (?arms itself).
[Question] We see you in this picture surrounded by your chil-
dren; it is a beautiful picture. But you have training camps, and
I do not mean on acts of terrorism. These are two contradictory
pictures: the picture of the quiet man'and the picture...
[Answer] [Al-Qadhdhafi interrupts] We have but one picture of
peace and the defense of freedom and the support of the oppress-
ors. In our country there are no camps that you yourself term
"terrorism" [here al-qadhdhafi smiles]. First of all as far as the
camps of the Palestinians are concerned, we do not consider these
to be terrorist camps because these people arc defending their
freedom. Add to this the fact that these camps are not in Libya
now, but if the Palestinian people ask for the opening of camps
on Libyan soil we will accept this request because the Palestinians
are a people who have a cause, and the whole world recognizes
that it is a just cause. There are no terrorist camps in our country.
In actual fact, the camps of terrorism are the American and
Zionist camps. This, intitself, is a psychological terrorism against
us; they want to psychologically intimidate us by accusing us of
practicing terrorism, and of having camps. This is a lie. There
are no camps in our country. On the other hand, they display
military force in our territorial waters. They threaten our territo-
rial waters, independence, and security in our own homes. In
actual. fact this is terrorism. This accusation is serious. This is
psychological terrorism being practiced by America and Zionism
against the Libyan people and against me personally. This is the
most dangerous and worst type of terrorism being practiced by
America and Israel.
[Question in French followed by Arabic translation, translated
from the French due to poor monitorability of Arabic] Col
al-Qadhdhafi, terrorism, exercises [words indistinct] the dif-
ference from your own mouth [as heard] is difficult to make. In
any case 'thanks for these statements. We had with us in live
transmission Colonel al-Qadhdhafi with the U.S. fleet still sail-
ing off the Libyan coast. Thank you for these statements. [Inter-
view ends and video shows Al-Qadhdhafi standing up and about
to leave the studio].
6th Fleet Maneuvers in Mediterrean Reported
Naples Activity Watched
NC300717 Tripoli Domestic Service in Arabic
0600 GMT 30 Jan 86
[Text] Naval Units of the U.S. 6th Fleet and other U.S. war
vessels are continuing their belligerent naval and air exercises in
the Mediterranean Sea opposite the Arab Libyan shores. These
belligerent naval and air maneuvers are facing a sweeping wave
of anger and condemnation among the various progressive and
peace-loving circles in the world.
The U.S. terrorist maneuvers started last Friday and will con-
tinue until 31 January.
It has been learned from Italian sources that there was feverish
activity in the U.S. naval forces headquarters in Naples, which
is under NATO command. These activities are shrouded in
secrecy.. The port of Naples was the scene of movements by U.S.
naval units. U.S. marines are ready and awaiting transport
aboard support ships that are preparing to sail opposite Libyan
shores to join the aircraft carriers Saratoga and Coral Sea. The
sources added that the aicraft carrier Guadalcanal, the cruiser
Eagleton, and other military support units are carrying tanks and
armored vehicles and were seen moving toward the open sea.
`Zionist' Ships Involved
LD300936 Tripoli JANA in Arabic 0810 GMT 30 Jan 86
[Text] Kuwait, 30 Jan (JANA) - Zionist vessels and gunboats
are participating in the provocative exercises being carried out
by the American' 6th Fleet off the Libyan shores. Informed
sources today reaffirmed that two Zionist vessels, helicopters of
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NORTH AFRICA
V. 30Jan 86
the (Hiller) type, and four fast missile-carrying gunboats have
joined the American 6th Fleet to participate in the U.S. terrorist
provocative threats against the Libyan Arab people. The sources
said that Admiral Ben-Shoshan is supervizing the Zionist vessels
and gunboats participating in these .:imperialist U.S. threats
against the Libyan Arab people.
`Agressive' Maneuvers Continue .
LD301218 Tripoli JANA in Arabia 1100 GMT 30 Jan 86
[Text] Tripoli,. 30 Jan (JANA) - American naval units of the
6th,Fleet and other American warships continue their aggressive
naval and air maneuvers for. the 7th day in succession in the
Mediterranean, off the Libyan Arab coast.
These naval and air maneuvers are taking place amid strong
international condemnation, and a wave of indignation and
denunciation of these maneuvers, by various progressive and
peace and security-loving circlesin the world. .
The maneuvers began last Friday and are due to continue until
tomorrow, 31 January.
Letter to UN Complains of Reagan-Stands
LD301557 Tripoli Domestic Service in Arabic
1330 GMT 30 Jan 86
[Text] The People's Committee of the People's Bureau for For-
eign Liaison has sent a letter to the secretary general of the
United Nations that says: The Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriyah draws your, excellency's attention to the hostile
position expressed by the behavior of the American Administra-
tion in its dealings with sovereign states in a manner constituting
a direct infringement on their sovereignty, and affirming the
biased attitude of this administration vis-a-vis the Third World
states.
The fact that President Reagan has received the leader of the
so-called UNITA movement, the gang hostile to Angola, which
is a member of the United Nations, the Nonaligned Movement
and the Organization of African Unity, and, on the other hand,
his refusal, out of enmity and bias; to meet the PLO, which. is a
liberation movement struggling to ensure that the Arab Palestin-
ian people get their national rights on its land from which it had
been expelled due to the Zionist aggression that still exists and
continues until this hour, this attitude by:a head of state like
America expresses in reality' only a racist and discriminatory
tendency, as well as a religious, cultural, and civilizational bias,
and complete partiality favoring the Israelis andthe enemies of
the Arab and African peoples.
Arab League Asked To Act on U.S. Boycott
LD301601 Tripoli Domestic Service'in Arabic
1330 GMT 30 Jan 86
[Excerpts] At the request of the Socialist People's Libyan Arab
Jamahiriyah, foreign ministers of the `Arabstates meet in the
Tunisian capital today to discuss the terrorist policy followed by
the head-of the U.S. Administration Reagan.
The SPLAJ has called for the meeting of the Arab League
foreign ministers to face up to the U.S. provocations and deci-
sions to impose an economic blockade. At their meeting in the
Tunisian capital, the Arab foreign ministers must realize the
gravity of the situation; they are required to adopt decisive
measures against the ally of the- enemy of the Arab nation, the
Zionist entity, so that this may be a lesson in the future for anyone
daring to follow the line of economic and military war pursued
by the Reagan administration against any Arab state. All the
more since we realize that Arab assets estimated at hundreds of
thousands of dollars [as heard] in the Western states.
This meeting was postponed until after the meeting of the EEC
last Monday, a meeting that did not lead to any measures against
the SPLAJ, which would have met the objectives 'sought by
Reagan 'and his ally the Zionist enemy '
Tripoli TV Reports, Shows `Challenger' Explosion
LD292212 Tripoli Televisibn.Service in Arabic
2004 GMT 29 Jan 86 '
[Text] The explosion of the U.S.-space shuttle'Challenger'has
evoked a tragic response among circles of American' Society,
which see in this incident a shabby result of U.S. technical and
technological. know-how in whose strategic programs flaws-and
gaps have been found that resulted. in the destruction of this
shuttle less than 90 seconds after its take-off. U.S. citizens have
not concealed their dissatisfaction and have strongly confronted
the U.S. official circles. The failure of the 24th [as'heard] mission
of the shuttle, Challenger and its destruction before its start has
also made inevitable the delay of the star wars programs, for
which the U.S. Administration provides the most advanced
scientific and technical space know-how, until the time when new
guarantees for the safety against explosion of other U.S. space
shuttles in their take-off programs are-available.
The explosion of a U.S.. spaceship, whose blast-off had been
officially reported by international media, is a shameful result of
U.S. claims to scientific superiority and techinical progress in the
world. It has caused repercussions among Western and interna=
tional scientific circles and world. public opinion, for which
Washington cannot be envied.
The shuttle Challenger exploded 90 seconds after taking off,
while carrying a crew of seven Americans, including a teacher in
social studies. It has been officially' confirmed that the entire
crew of the shuttle that exploded over the Atlantic has died.
It is worth recalling that the'shuttle Challenger's mission was
postponed several times owing to technical' faults and bad
weather.
This event is considered the worst setback to the United States
in the sphere of space.
Reagan registered his disappointment and state of despair when
he described the explosion as a national disaster. This' state of
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NORTH AFRICA Q I
Bendjedid Ends Talks With AI-Qadhdhafi, Returns
LD291636 Algiers APS in English
1451 GMT 29 Jan 86
[Text] Algiers, 29/1/86 (APS) -- President Chadli Bendjedid
returned here at the end of the political talks he had with Colonel
al-Qadhdhafi and following the inspection and working visit in
south of the country. The head of state arrived on monday in
Ain-amenas in the 1Vilaya of Illizi coming from Hassi R'mel
where he inaugurated important social and economic
achievements.
Bitat Meets Mexican Foreign Secretary Amor
/_/)191314 Algiers APS in Arabic 0700 GMT 29 Jan 86
lTcxtl Algicrs.29 Jan (APS) -- Rabeh Bitat, member of the
Politburo (of the Algerian FLN Party) and speaker of the Peop-
le's National Assembly (parliament), yesterday received Ber-
nardo Sepulveda Amor, secretary of foreign relations of the
United Mexican States.
Their talks dealt with bilateral relations between Algeria and
Mexico and their future consolidating, as well as the latest
developments in various regions of the world. The two sides also
exchanged views on consolidating cooperation between the two
countries' parliaments and on the 75th International Parliamen-
tarian Union session.
AI-Qadhdhafi Threatens War With U.S. in Interview
L D292304 Tripoli Television Service in Arabic
2056 GMT 29 Jan 86
[French Television Channel 2 interview with Libyan Leader
Mu'arnmar al-Qadhdhafi by unidentified reporter on 27 Jan-
uary, place not given; questions in French with Arabic
translation, translated from the Arabic except where noted ---
recorded]
[Text] [Question] Colonel AI-Qadhdhafi, good evening, you have
just seen these pictures with us. The U.S. warships are sailing off
the Libyan coast. You personally went to meet them in a gunboat
equipped with missiles. Does this mean that the confrontation has
started, if I can use use your expression?
[Answer] If the maneuvers are conducted outside the Libyan
territorial waters, I mean the Libyan territorial waters including
the Gulf of Sidra, then they do not now concern us. If, however,
they reach the Gulf of Sidra, this means they have entered
Libyan territory, and this will mean that the war will definitely
take place, and it will be considered as an unjustified American
attack against the soil and sanctity of Libyan territory. Also,
what I will propose from now onward is the banning of these
maneuvers in the economic zones of the Mediterranean coun-
itics, even outside the territorial waters, because the economic
%' ?- ./1) / A --- . . ~/. _
zone, which is the continental shelf, contains economic activities,
such as exploring for resources, gas fields, oil fields, rigs, and
constructions. This is in the Libyan economic zone outside the
Gulf of Sidra, and in the Italian economic zone, and the Greek
economic zone and the Maltese, and the others. I will propose to
these countries that they ban the implementation of military
maneuvers for the United States and the others in these economic
zones.
As for the Gulf of Sidra, this is a closed subject. Latitude 32
degrees 30 minutes is the beginning of the Gulf of Sidra, and it
is a very sensitive gulf, which divides Libya into two parts. We
will never allow any force to enter into the Gulf of Sidra, because
this will mean that it will divide Libyan soil, because latitude 32
degrees 30 minutes is the line that joins Misratah with Banghazi,
and anyone who crosses is considered as coming between Tripoli
and Banghazi.
(Question] They say that there is a disparity between your power
and the power of the United States.
(Answer] This is not important. Does this mean that the small
countries whose power is not comparable with the powers that
confront them should surrender'? This would mean that we have
to surrender the land to the strong, and we would all collapse and
loose our independence. Even the power of Rance is not
equivalent to the power of America and the Soviet Union. Does
this mean that if it is confronted by the Soviet Union or America,
then it should surrender its independence? This subject is not
open for discussion. The important thing is that this is our right.
If we arc resorting to force as the only arbiter, then that is it, the
stronger party snatches the land, and we announce that the rest
have no rights.
IQuestion] A few days ago you said precisely: I am ready to set
the Mediterranean on fire and turn it into blood.
]Answcr]Of course, if Libya is subjected to aggression, this would
bean unjust and unjustified aggression. Consequently, Libya will
defend itself. Aggression would come from the Mediterranean,
the U.S. bases in the Mediterranean and the U.S. fleets in the
Mediterranean. This means that the Mediterranean would
become a war zone and acts of violence would be permissible in
it and all the targets in the war zone would be exposed to possible
destruction according to international law and the laws of war.
[Question] Col al-Qadhdhafi, you say military objectives. You
realize, however, I suppose, that in Europe, in the West, your
picture, especially you are, in a way, the face of terrorism.
(Answer] [A]-Qadhdhafi laughs] We must understand what ter-
rorism is so that we can know who is the terrorist. In our
interpretation and in the interpretation of the world what Amer-
ica practices is terrorism and what the Israelis practice is terror-
ism. They consider our sacred and legitimate struggle for the
preservation of our independence terrorism. Therefore, there is
no possibility of understanding. It seems that there are various
cultures and it is regrettable that in the Americans' view is that
this gap should be solved by force and that force should be the
arbiter. The proof of this is that rcagan has no logic, he has no
argument. His argument is always to threaten to use force,
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