KADDAFI'S CRUSADE - THE LIBYAN LEADER THREATENS NEW TERRORIST ATTACKS AFTER REAGAN STEAMS THROUGH HIS 'LINE OF DEATH'

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CIA-RDP90-00965R000707060062-7
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December 22, 2016
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February 10, 2012
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62
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April 7, 1986
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Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 1 ARTICLE APPEARED ~ ~N PAGE a~ = Kaddafi's Crusade The Libyan leader threatens new terrorist attacks ~ after Reagan steams through his 'line of death' ~ is audience was small and rela- tively subdued, but Muammar Kaddafi managed to work him- selfinto afine frenzy. "We humil- iated America and its forces," he told the crowd gathered at the Bab al Azi- ziya barracks in Tripoli. Kaddafi boasted that his "line of death" had repelled the U.S. Sixth Fleet in the Gulf of Sidra. He claimed that his missiles had shot down three American warplanes, "whose six pi- lots are now feeding the fish." He main- tained that his forces had recovered a dud missile fired by the Americans. "We are going to hand it over to the Russians," he gloated. He dismissed Ronald Reagan as "a trivial and futile actor" and bragged that "America fears Libya." When Kaddafi fi- nally finished, Libyan soldiers dragged out a terrified cow with "Reakn" painted on its side. One of the men slit its throat with a knife. Then, as the animal thrashed out its life, the soldiers dipped their hands into the wound and danced around in the blood. By American reckoning, it was Kaddafi whose ox was gored last week. U.S. war- ships steamed across the "line of death" into what Libya regards as territorial wa- ters and stayed there, unharmed, for 75 hours. When Libya fired surface-to-sir mis- siles at American planes, the Sixth Fleet replied with missiles of its own, silencing the air-defense battery. When Libyan pa- trol boats approached the fleet, bombs and missiles drove them off, sinking at least two. The American armada-three giant aircraft carriers and 24 other ships-had come to keep the sea lanes open and to punish Kaddafi for his sponsorship of inter- national terrorism. The dual mission ac- complished, it sailed away five days before the announced end of the exercise, with Reagan offering "a hearty 'well done'." That might not be the end of it, however. By barging into the Gulf of Sidra, Reagan gave Kaddafi a bloody nose, but there was no sign that the volatile Libyan leader had been persuaded to get out of the terrorism NEWSWEEK 7 April 1986 business. On the contrary, Libya exhorted its fellow Arabs to form "suicide squads" and to hurl "human bombe" at American targets in the region. Already, Kaddafi had begun to mobilize a counterattack by his allies and protegee in the vast underworld of international terrorism (page 25). "America is our target," announced the Palestinian faction run by Abu Nidal, who was blamed for the atrocities at the Rome and Vienna airports last Christmas. Reagan himself warned about "intensive Libyan preparations" for a campaign of violence against Americans. "The United States will not be intimidated by new threats of terrorism," the president prom- ieed. So far, most Americana seemed to agree. In a NEWSWEF.x Poll (page 23), 63 percent of the people questioned said last week's attack on Libya was worth- while, even if it leads to more terrorism against Americana. And it probably will. Senior American officials, intelligence analysts and diplo- matic sources in Washington have told I~EWSWEEK of mounting evidence that Kaddafi is preparing a crusade against American citizens and facilities, mostly in Western Europe and the Middle East. His bag of dirty tricks includes the following: ^ Hi?hly classified CIA reports warn hat Kaddafi's a sots have had "no fewer than 35" American tar ets under surcei - lance overseas. The list ranges trom t e offices of American com anies to the head- quartersofthe5ixthFleetandt a omesof' its top officers in Maples. President Reagan also had been told that_Libyan hit squads are tailing CIA station chiefs in the region. ? Last Wednesday a message was sent from Tripoli to Libyan agents in Paris. Bel- grade and Geneva, ordering them to "pre- pare to carry out the plan." Similar mes- sages were sent to Kaddafi's agents in Rome. Berlin and Madrid. ^ A defector from a Libvan hit squad has told the CIA about a plot against the life of an American diplomat in Europe. The de- fector a North African who was recruited b Lib an sots in Western Euro has passed a series of lie-detector tests an is sti to ..Gusto y. ? Two Libyan agents in the Lebanese Army were ordered last week to attack U.S. Embassy personnel in Beirut. American officials believe that U.S. buildings in the Lebanese capital are now safe from car- bomb attacks. But they worry that assas- sins might attack Americans with rocket- propelled grenades. ^ In recent weeks Kaddafi has intensi- ', fled his efforts to recruit European and ', Palestinian hit men in hopes of shifting the ', blame away from Libya. One Palestinian was enlisted to help carry out an attack on a U.S. diplomatic mission in Western Eu- ! rope. The plot was uncovered when ~ Yasir Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liber- ation Organization, tipped off the United States through a third party. Arafat didn't want his own Al Fatah to be blamed. ^ To keep Washington in what one source calls "a state of high anxiety," the Libyans are planning apsychological-war- fare campaign in Europe and the Middle East, including telephoned bomb threats. "We think they're really going to yank our ~ chain," says an American official. Libya also is trying to stir up demonstrations at i U.S. embassies in Sudan and two other African countries. Apparently the Libyans ~I hope that the demonstrators will run amok ' and sack the embassies. ~ The targeted embassies and other Amer- icans indanger overseas have been warned, and across Europe and the Middle East governments are tightening up security. Similar steps are being taken in many American cities and airports, and the 3,500 Libyans who live in the United States are being watched. Some of the precautions were taken before last week's action in the Gulf of Sidra and have already begun to pay off. In February an Italian soldier and a free-lance cameraman were arrested inSic- ilyand accused of giving secrets to the Lib- yans, possibly in connection with a plot against Americans. Intelli ence anal is aren't sure when a s new terror campaign will begun, if it does at all Some exaerts argue thathe will strike quickly in order to reaffirm his manhood after the Gulf of Sidra incursion. thers believe he will wait two or three moot s, gtving imself time to put togeth- er an e a rate campaign-and wing Americans time to dro their ard. Rob? e- r~Rupperman o tgetown University in Washington predicts that Kaddafi will hold off for a couple of months. Then, he Continued Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 ~? Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 o~ ., , says, we ro going to see attacks against Americans at airports, on the Via Veneto, at train stations. There will be attacks against individuals-American of$cisls living abroad and touris'tg-and against American businesses. We're in for terrible trouble ahead." But Kaddafi is as unatedictable as he is d~ roue According to several sources, a requent y u a report on men- tal state claims that he uses halluctnagens to ex pan mtn . so is sat to be preoccupte wtt a girlfriend in West- ern Europe, flying olf' in a private plane to visit her almost every week. Whether or not those stories are true, Kaddafi some- times doesn't seem to make sense, even to people who share his cultural background. NEwswsEx has learned that one impecca- blesource who conferred with Kaddafi last Tuesday told American of$cials that he found the Libyan leader "disoriented and incomprehensible." If Kaddafi is caught sponsoring attacks on Americans, the Reagan administration promises a swift and strong response. No final decisions have been made, in part be- cause American retaliation will depend on what Kaddafi does. Officials have told NEWSWEEK, however, that most of Rea- an s a visers su rt Secretar of State eorge ultz's longstandin? cal or re- prisals the next time around, not ust a stns terrortst cam but ainst Libvan mi itary an economic targets as well. Sec- rete o ense as ar em r er an m. t tam rows, the chairman of the Joint hiefs of tall, are still reluctant to use mt ttary power except against specific terrorist tar ets. ut na a an th White House c ie of staff John Poin- dexter the president's national-security adviser and CIA Director Willtam Casey su rt Shultz's contention that further ibvan-sponsored terrorism should be an- sweredwith devastating attacks. So far most of Libyan industry does not appear on any U.S. target list: nor have plans been drawn up to bomb Kaddafi's command bunker or the barracks where be lives. But American targeters already are prepared to attack a wide range of Libyan military facilities and the training camps allegedly used by terrorists. And if Kaddafi gives them sufficient provocation, Ameri- canwarplanes will go after the oil pipelines and storage facilities that are crucial to Libya's hard-pressed economy. "The next act of terrorism," promises a top U.S. offi- cial. "wil l bring the ham mer down." toois/Itatlsss:Washington began to tighten the screws on Kaddafi early this year. After the murder of 15 air travelers in Rome and Vienna. Reagan ordered American resi- dents toleave Libya, and he imposed a trade embargo on the country. Many American allies were unenthusiastic about the sanc- tions, which seemed likely to do Kaddafi little harm. Preparing to go it alone, the administration drafted along-term plan for additional economic and political moves against Kaddafi. It also started to look for an excuse to take military action against him ~ NEWSWEEK, Jan.'10i. Why Libya?The administration has long recognized that Syria and Iran are even more deeply involved with terrorism than Kaddafi is. The Abu Nidal group, for in- Feorin# Trou~~ A Now~swoalc Pow Most Americansthink last week's action against Libya was justified, but they fear s terrorist resporse. And there are grave doubts about aiding the contras. Brif of Sidra Attacks Do you think U.S. attacks against Libyan ships and military sites were justified or not?' 75% Justified 15% Not justified Some people think that U.S. naval maneu- vers in the Gulf of Sidra were a deliberate attempt to provoke an attack trom Libya. 1~ you agree or disagree?' 43 % Agree 48% Disagree ?ANBWE88 RROM TH& 90 PEIK:EN7' Ot ALL RBBFONI)BN'IS WHO HAD HEARD OR RLAD ABOUT THE U8. REfAL1ATORY ATTAIXB. Fears of Terrorisia Following the US. attack on Libya, are you more afraid of terrorist acts against Americans because Kaddafi will retaliate, or less afraid because the attack taught Kaddafi a lesson? 64% More afraid 2f3% Less afraid Aid to the Contras f~ you think giving U.S. military aid to the contra forces fighting the communist gov- ernment in Nicaragua will eventually lead to U.S. troops being sent there to help in the fight? Or do you think such aid will permit the contras to canyon without the help of U.S. troops? 44% U.S. troops will be sent 33% Permit contras to cant' on 23 % Don't know Which is of greater concern to you today: the presence of a communist govemment as close to the United States as Nicaragua, or the possibility that U.S. troops will become involved in a war in Central America? 34% Communist govemment 54% U.S. troops involved The Wise Use of MiNtary Force Do you think President Reagan makes wise use of military forces to solve foreign-policy problems, or do you think the president is too quick to employ U.S. forces? Do you think the U.S. attack on Libya was Wise Too quick worth doing even if it risks more terrorist Current 56 % 32 % attacks against Americans? ., ~ 40 % 52 % f33 % Worth it t o s3 26 % Not worth it (After Grenada) 43 % 47 % If you had the opportunity to travel over- seasthis summer, would you take the trip or refuse it because of the threat of terrorism? 34% Take trip 61 % Refuse it ~au,~? For thu N[wsw[[[ Poll. The Gallup Organtzahon interviewed a representative nauonal sample of 606 adults by telephone Narch '?8 and 2S The margin of error ~ plus or minus 5 percentage points. Some "Don't know" responses omitted. The Newsw[ex Poll c_ 1986 by 4[wsw[eii. Inc stance. could be traced more directly to Syria than to Libya. But Syria and Iran are difficult, well-armed targets, and the State Department regards Syrian President Ha- fez Assad as theessential mediator in Leba- non. SoLibya became the prime U.S. target. Whatever his precise standing may be among the patrons of terrorism. Kaddafi deserved to be punished. "He harbors ter- rorists, trains them, supplies them and en- courages them." Shultz said in Rome last week. "You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure it out." Kaddafi also con- Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 ~ Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 tinued to alarm Washington with his med- dling inChad, where his forces are support- ing rebels against the government, and Sudan, where he is supporting the govern- mentagainst some rebels. Even Libya pre- sentedproblems as atarget, however. It was difficult to locate the terrorist camps and to know when they were occupied by specific groups, such as Abu Nidal's. And there was a high risk of killing Libyan bystanders. Then, in late January, Kaddafi gave the Americans the pretext they were looking for: he proclaimed his "line of death" across the Gulf of Sidra (map). "That line is mani- festlyillegal underinternationallaw, sothe United States had a perfect right to cross it, which means a perfect right to fire back if Kad- dafi were to attack us," said a senior administration official. The freedom-of-navigation is- sue also solved the targeting problem; the Americans could fire at Libyan missile sites, air- craft or warships that threat- ened them. In earl February the ulanninrt for Operation Prairie Fire be an, and soon Washington'sreso vewas ard- ency t eCIA- repor~s~Fiat Lib an ents were s~Ta owin U.S. di lomats in ~ uro a and t o i e ast. y t ien t o Navy had begun to put pressure on Kaddafi with unannounced incursions into the airspace over the Gulf of Sidra. Sources told NEW3WEEK that carrier- based American planes crossed the line for 32 consecutive days, forcing Kaddafi to keep his air defenses on constant alert. ^~r~l MN~Mts: The decision to go ahead with Prairie Fire was made at a meeting in the White House on March 14. The tough- est issue was how to retaliate if tional-security adviser dropped a stitch. After agreeing to brief congressional lead- ers on Prairie Fire, Poindexter failed to follow through, apparently because it slipped his mind. The Hill went unbriefed, even as Under Secretary of State Michael Armacost called in the Soviet charge d'af- faires to tell him what was going to hap- pen-and to warn Moscow that U.S. forces would strike back if Libya opened fire. Ronald Reagan himself took little part in the March 14 meeting. "You almost got the impression that he wasn't paying atten- tion," anaide recalls. But at the end Reagan recapped the proceedings and went over the station outside the Gulf of Sidra, and they knew what was likely to happen next. The skipper, Capt. Jerry Unruh, sported a name tag on his breast pocket that read: "Ter- rorist Buster." "One of the men gave it to me, and I promised I'd wear it," he told NEWSWEEK'S Theodore Stanger, who vis- ited the carrier as Prairie Fire began. By then the ship's store had sold out its supply of "Terrorist Buster" T shirts ($4.50 each I. 'Str>~off' rawN: After lunch on Monday the Libyans fired their first SAM-5 mis- siles, and in response, American war- planes hurtled off the flight decks of the Saratoga, the Coral Sea and the America. For nearly 24 hours they contin- ued their scheduled training flights and fought when they had to, efficiently but cau- tiously. American electronics jammed the Libyan defenses, and the Sixth Fleet fired its mis- siles and dropped its bombs from the relative safety of "standoff" range. There were a few glitches. The fleet never did determine exactly how many missiles the Libyans had fired or how many Libyan patrol boats were sunk or how many Libyans had been killed 1150 was the best guess). In addition, U.S. officials worried that Kad- dafimight have been telling the truth when he said he had recov- ered adud "HARM" missile, which could be an intelligence bonanza for Moscow. When the first action reports got back to the White House, however, Ronald Reagan's first question was: "Any casualties?" None, he was told. "Good!" the presi- dent exclaimed, pounding the arm of his chair. Elsewhere, the incursion drew a mixed reaction. Con- DEP.4RTMEIT OF DEFF.\~E B~rntefferln~:ALibyanpatrolboatafterahitbya U.S. missile Kaddafi fired on the fleet. Shultz favored swift attacks on Libyan oilfields and terror- ist camps, while Weinberger argued that the U.S. response should be proportional to the Libyan aggression. Shultz wanted tar- gets to be selected in advance, while Crowe insisted that the Sixth Fleet commander, Vice Adm. Frank Kelso, should be allowed to make the final decisions on the spot. Poindexter had the swing vote, and he engi- neered acompromise: Kelso could defend himself, but if Kaddafi launched an all-out assault the fleet would retaliate against a graduated, preselected list of Libyan mili- tary and economic targets, with Washing- ton approving each escalation. Later, offi- cialsagreed that Poindexter's compromise allowed the United States to retain the mor- alhigh ground by waiting until the Libyans opened fire and then responding in kind. Then, NEWSWEEK has learned, the na- rules of engagement in some detail. "It was pretty obvious that he knew what he was going to do long before he sat down," says the aide. When the action began last week, 'administration spokesmen insisted that freedom of navigation was the only issue. "The purpose is not to put Kaddafi into his box, [although] that's where he belongs," Shultz said during a visit to Turkey. "The purpose is to exert the U.S. right to conduct naval and air exercises in every part of the globe." But aides confirm that Reagan has a visceral dislike for Kaddafi and wants to overthrow him, just as he hopes to depose Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega. "We wanted to provoke Kaddafi into responding so we could stick it to him," says one participant in the March 14 meeting. "And we knew he would obligeus." The men on board the aircraft carrier Saratoga knew exactly why they were on gress was more or less acquiescent. Some of the European allies regretted the violence, but not too heatedly, while others happily cloaked themselves in the fig leaf of free navigation. As expected, Arab govern- mentscomplained, moderates and radicals alike, but some of the protests had a hollow ring. "People keep coming up to us in pri- vate and saying, 'Great'," reported a U.S. diplomat in the Middle East, where Kad- dafi is more despised than admired. The final verdict on Operation Prairie Fire will come in the weeks and months ahead, when Kaddafi launches his next terror cam- paign--ordeddes not to risk it. If there is a new round of terror, the ruthless friends of Muammar Kaddafi will find that the stakes are higher the next.o RUSSELL WATSON a'It JOHN WALCOTT JOHN B A R R 5' I n Wash ~nKto~n~. 9'CJ1Q'P'CtTiTd"N and RUTH MARSHALL in Tr1~Ml1 and bureau reports Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 ARTICLE APPEARED 1 ON PA6 ~ " ~...~ NEW YORK TIMES 10 April 1986 President's News Conference on Foreign and Domestic Issues Following is a transcript of President Xeagan's news conference Last night iR. Wasfington, as recorded by The New Yurk Times: OPENING STATEMENT Good evening. I have a brief state- ment here. Before taking your ques- tions_ I'd like to touch briefly on two imyurtant issues. First, the deadline for Americans paying their taxes -April 15th -will be upon us in less than a week. April 15th is also the date that the Congress is required to complete work on a budge[ resolution. ?'Tens of millions of Americans will meet their deadline -they'll pay their taxes -even if they have to spena the entire weekend figuring out how much they owe. But will Con- gress meet its deadline for the budget resolution? We hear the same tat- tesed old argument [hat the Amer- ican people are undertaxed. . Weil, the American people are not undertaxed -but their patience is overtaxed. Today, taxes take the same ;hare of the Gross National , Product as during the 1970's. But Gov- ernment spending as a share of Grross National Product has soared up and ~~. So 1 urge the Congress to forget about raising taxes and concentrate instead on controlling spending and , putting Government's financial house inorder. And that'll help our economy and continue the best economic ex- pansion this country's seen in a quar- ter of acentury. Second issue is aid to the Nicara- guan freedom fighters. Two events in recent weeks have underscored the urgency of our aid request to the democratic resistance. First, the ti,carag+~aa Communists sent troops into Honduras on asearch-and-de- stroy mission to kill off the freedom fighters. Second, the Sandinista Com- munists torpedoed the Contadora talks -talks conducted with 12 other Latin countries who seek peace in the region. And these events demonstrate that the Nicaraguan Communists will never make peace with their neigh- bors, or with their own people, unless the pressure on them increases. The Communists must realize that they cannot crush their opponents, and our assistance can ensure that the free- dom fighters are not crushed. That assistance will give Nicaraguans a choice, and it will give diplomacy a chance. Four out of five Central American countries now have democratic gov- ernments -democracies that our bi- partisan policies helped to bring about. We must stick to this bipartisan strategy-and this coming week, the House of Representatives will be called upon to maintain that tradi-' tion. Action now is essential. We can- not afford further delay. This pro- posal must not be held hostage to any other legislation. Through its vote next week the House can show the world that the United States is determined to defend freedom in Central America. The Soviet Union, Fidel Castro and the Sandinistas are determined to make the region a Communist enclave. Well, we must not and we will not pe~- mit that to happen. Helen? talist revolution, ~htch is targeted on mapy of his own Arab compatriots and where we figure in that I don't know. Maybe we're just [he enemy because it's a tittle like climbing Mount Everest - because we're here. But there's no question but that he has singled ua out more and more for attack and we're aware of that. As I say, we're gathering evidence as fast as we can. ~ Mr. President, Colonel Qaddati threatened today to escalate the vio- IenC~ against American civilians and military targets throughout the world if his country is attacked. Does he have the ability to strike here on Amefican soil? ,t; Well, he has - we know that these are a number of his countrymen in? tkis ??ouncry. He has even sug- gested That he could call upon people to do that, anti we certainly do not ov~+rlook ~ltat possibility. We're going t~> be on the ale: t and on guard for anything he might do. He has threat- ened that he will bring that kind of w,aifare to our shores -directly here. Of course it's kind of hard to keep up with him because just a short time after this recent T.W.A. explosion he went on the air to state that this was an_attack on innocent civilians and pure terrorism, and he wouldn't have anything to do with that. That's the same man who referred to the slaugh- ter of the innocents in Rome and Vienna airports as a noble act. So, i don't know whether you count on' what he says for your real infor- mation. Ithink you just ignore that and go looking for facts. Q. What precautions would you say Americans can take to prevent ter- rorist attacks at home? A. Well we're Join aye can, an thin c all of the law-en- orcement atzenc es o merica are alerted to this fact. And we're not en- tirely helpless, because, as I pointed. `u~T~elteve som e ast time we were he ' Est year we ve aborted. t1Lmu~h Our intelligence gathered in co~o~ppeera- tion wi our a es. we ve aT-inrTed ].2& planned terrorist attack_a Lhar nw r mk place hersuco of n it haves iqg the information in advance. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Libya and Terrorism Q. Mr. President do iou have - lid evt ence t at si or t e recent acts of terrorism? t ou are contem at n ma or retaliation, won't you be kt to a lot oT~nnocen'~veoo e~13Ti a to 0 ow u ~. Helen. we have considerable evi- nce over uice a ton riod of time that Oa a i n autte outspo- ken about his participation in ur>zittg and su rtin terrorist acts a Kind o wa are as a as ca it. 8it:u- ttow, however.3 can't answer ,yel+ specificially on this other because w C re conttnutn with our intelli ence work any a~Fiertn evt ence on t ese most recent attac An we re not ready vet to speak on that and any ac- tion that we might take would be de- cent nn what we learn and_ so I can't o further. r. rest ent, I know you must have given it a lot of thought but what do you think is the real reason that Americans are the prime target of t.: rrorism? Could it be our policies? A. Well we know that this mad dog of the Middle East has a goal of a world revolution, Musltm fundamen- Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 ~\ I \ ~_ Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 AFR~~ t5 19Pw Transcript of Address B Rea an on Lib a y g y :41y fellow Americans, at 7 o'clock this evening Eastern time, air and naval forces of the United States launched a series of strikes against the headquarters, terrorist facilities and military assets that support 'viuammar Qaddafi's subversive ac- tivities. The attacks were concentrated and carefully targeted to minimize casu- alties among the Libyan people, with whom we have no quarrel. From initial reports, our forces have succeeded in their mission. Sev- eral weeks ago, in New Orleans, I :varned Colonel Qaddafi we would hold his regime accountable for any new terrorist attacks launched against American citizens. More re- cently, Invade it clear we would re- spond as soon as we determined con- clusively who was responsible for such attacks. On Apri15 in West Berlin a terrorist bomb exploded in a nightclub fre- quented by American servicemen. Sgt. Kenneth Ford and a young Turk- ish woman were killed and 230 others were wounded, among them some 50 American military personnel. This monstrous brutality is but the latest act in Colonel Qaddafi's reign of terror. The evidence is now conclu- sive that the terrorist bombing of La Belle discotheQue was planned and executed under the director orders of the Libyan regime. On March 25, more than a week be- fore the attack, orders were sent from Tripoli to the Libyan People's Bureau in East Berlin to conduct a terrorist attack against Americans, to cause maximum and indiscriminate casual- ties. Libya's agents then planted the bomb. On April 4, the People's Bureau alerted Tripoli that the attack would be carried out the following morning. The next day they reported back to Tripoli on the great success of their mission. Our evidence is direct, it is precise, it is irrefutable. We have solid evi- dence about other attacks Qaddafi has planned against the United States' installations and diplomats and even American tourists. Thanks to close cooperation with ' our friends, some of these have been prevented. With the help of French authorities, we recently aborted one such attack: a planned massacre using grenades and small arms of civilians waiting in lines for visas at an American Embassy. Colonel Qaddafi is not only an enemy of the United States. His record of subversion and aggression against the neighboring states in Af- rica is well documented and well known. He has ordered the murder of fellow Libyans in countless countries. He has sanctioned acts of terror in Af- rica, Europe and the Middle East, as well as the Western Hemisphere. To- day we have done what we had to do. If necessary, we shall do it again. It gives me no pleasure to say that, and I wish it were otherwise. Before Qaddafi seized power in 196.9, the peo- pie of Libya had been friends of the United States, and I'm sure that to- day most Libyans are ashamed and disgusted that this man has made their country a synonym %or barba?? rism around the world. The Libyan people are a decent peo- ple caught in the grip of a tyrant. To our friends and allies in Europe who cooperated in today's mission, I would only say you have the primary gratitude of the American people. Europeans who remember history understand better than most that there is no security, no safety, in the appeasement of evil. It must be the core of Western policy that there be no sanctuary for terror, and to sus- tain such a policy, free men and free nations must unite and work together. Sometimes it is said that by impos- ingsanctions against Colonel Qaddafi or by striking at his terrorist installa- tions, we only magnify the man's im- portance -that the proper way to deal with him is to ignore him. I do not agree. Long before I came into this office, Colonel Qaddafi had en- gaged in acts.of international terror - acts that put him outside the com- pany of civilized men. For years, however, he suffered no economic, or political or military sanction, and the atrocities mounted in number, as did the innocent dead and wounded. And for us to ignore, by inaction, the slaughter of American civilians and American soldiers, whether in nightclubs or airline terminals, is simply not in the American tradition. When our citizens are abused or at- tacked anywhere in the world, on the direct orders of a hostile regime, we will respond, so long as I'm in this Oval Office. Self-defense is not only our right, it is our duty. It is the pur- pose behind the mission undertaken tonight - a mission fully consistent with Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. We believe that this pre-emptive action against his terrorist installa- tions will not only diminish Colonel Qaddafi's capacity to export terror - it will provide him with incentives and reasons to alter his criminal behavior. I have no illusion that to- night's action will bring down the cur- tain on Qaddafi's reign of terror, but this mission, violent though it was, can bring closer a safer and more se- cure world for decent men and women. We wilt persevere. This afternoon we consulted with the leaders of Congress regarding what we were about to do and why. Tonight, I salute the skill and profes- sionalism of the men and women of our armed forces who carried out this mission. It's an honor to be your Com- mander in Chief. We Americans are slow to anger. We always seek peaceful avenues be- fore resorting to the use of force, and we did. We tried quiet diplomacy, public condemnation, economic sanc- tions and demonstrations of military force -none succeeded. Despite our repeated warnings. Qaddafi contin- ued his reckless policy of intimida- tion, his relentless pursuit of terror. He counted on America to be pas- sive. He counted wrong. t warned that there should be no place on earth where terrorists can rest and train and practice their deadly skills. I meant it. I said that we would aM with others it possible and alone if necessary to insure that terrorists have no sanctuary anywhere. Tonight we have. Thank you, and God bless you. Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7 ~rl~~~,] NEW YO"K T'?~1E:; ~ - ' oN PAGE -+-~,~ ?0 ~?~ay ? 986 C.I.A. Director Urges Inquiry on NBC Broadcast By STEPHEN ENGELBERG Specul to The New York Times Mr. Polk said: "NBC is referring Mr. Casey's allegation to our legal counsel and therefore I'm asked not to com- ment." Tim Russert, a vice president at NBC, said it had "referred Casey's allegation to legal counsel to review." He had no further comment. A spokesman for the agency, George Lauder, said last week that intelligence officials had been ordered not to pro- vide information on intelligence mat- ters to The New York Times and other news organizations. S Organizations Names Mr. Casey has said that five news or- ganizations have violated the com- munications intelligence statute in re- porting on intercepted Libyan com- munications. These were The New York Times, The Washington Post, Time, Newsweek, and The Washington Times. Editors in those organizations denied knowing of any story they pub- lished that violated the law and Justice Department officials were cool to the idea of bringing prosecutions. !n a speech last week, Mr. Casey said that he was not in favor of pursuing past violations, but said future in- stances in which the Taws were broken should be pursued in the courts. Two weeks ago, Mr. Casey warned two editors of The Washington Post that their newspaper could face prose- cution if it published a report on the same subject. Editors at The Washington Post have said they have not yet decided whether to publish their story on the Pelton case. The Justice Department is the Fed- eral agency that decides whether to bring criminal prosecutions. When other agencies believe they have evi- dence of criminal violations of Federal law, they refer the information to the Justice Department, which decides whether to prosecute. Fred Warren Bennett, Mr. Pelton's lawyer, said today that jury selection in the case would take three to four days. He said trial itself would prob- ably last between five and eight days. Mr. Bennett said he did not plan to use classified information in defending Mr. Pelton. But he said he planned to cross-examine prosecution witnesses who are expected to testify on the potential damage to national security prosecutors say Mr. Pelton caused. Most evidence against Mr. Pelton made public so tar is drawn from his admissions to two agents of the Fed- eral Bureau of Investigation in two in- terviews last year. Federal District Judge Herbert Murray has rejected Mr. Bennett's attempt to suppress those statements. Mr. Bennett said the statements were elicted through trick- ery and added that he would raise the issue again in the trial itself. "We plan to pursue that defense as well as others," he said. Prosecutors have avoided hiving pre- cise descriptions of programs Mr. Pel- ton has been accused of compromising. Government officials said the National Security Agency has pressed hard to assure chat as little as possible is dis- closed about its operations. Prosecutors have also made public little information about telephone calls they said Mr. Pelton made to set up his first meeting with Soviet agents. In court papers, the prosecution has satd only that the calls were made to a "tar- getted premises." Law enforcement of- ficials have satd these calls were made to the Soviet embassy. Prosecutors have said in pre-teal motions that the tapes would be played for the jury through headphones. The tapes would not be audible to the pub- lic, although edited transcripts would be provided for reporters. The Nactunal Broadcasting Company and W MA R, its local affiliate in Baltimore, have chal- lenged this procedure. "We're trying to get it so the tapes are played in open court and no part of this trial is closed." said Stewart G. Webb, a lawyer representing the news organizations. Meetings in Viema According to court papers, Mr. Pel- ton disclosed to Soviet agents at leas[ two sets of information relating to the security agency. Prosecutors charged that Mr. Pelton called the Soviet agents in January L980 to offer them something "very interest- ing." According to court papers, the F.B.I. said Mr. Pelton said he told the Soviet agents at a subsequent meeting about an N.S.A. collection project that could be understood without much technical knowledge. Prosecutors charged that over the next three years Mr. Pelton met with Soviet agents twice in Vienna. Among the matters discussed, the prosecutors said, was a report Mr. Pelton wrote in 1978 about security agency projects aimed at the Soviet Union. WASHINGTON, May 19 -The Di- rector of Central Intelligence said to- day that he had asked the Justice De- partment to consider prosecuting the National Broadcasting Company on a charge of broadcasting a report con- taining classified information. William J. Casey, the Director, said tonight that the report on this morn- ing's "Today" program would, if true, be a violation of a taw forbidding publi- cation ofcommunications intelligence. Mr. Casey has said several times in recent weeks that he believed the Rea- gan Administration should prosecute news organizations that violate the laws protecting information related to national security. The Justice Depart- ment said tonight it would have no comment. ? Report on Spy Suspect ~~ The report, by James Polk, an NBC correspondent, discussed the activities of Ronald w. Pelton, a former em- ployee of the National Security Agency, who went on trial today on espionage charges in Federal District Court in Baltimore. He is accused of giving Soviet agents information about efforts by the National Security Agency to in- tercept communications within the Soviet Union. In a transcript of the broadcast as re- leased by NBC, Mr. Polk said: "Pelton apparently gave away one of the ~ N.S.A.'s most sensitive secrets, a ~ project with the code name ivy Bells believed to be atop-secret eavesdrop- ping program by American subma- rines inside Soviet harbors." The code name Ivy Bells has been mentioned around Washington for some time, but the NBC report was not be independently confirmed tonight. On the question o[ whether the broad- casting or publication of secret infor- mation presumably already in the hands of the Soviet Union could harm i the United States, the C.LA. has argue.l that news reports could provide further confirmation to the Soviet [,'nion that the information was accu- ~ rate. 'Statutory Obligations' !n his statement, Mr. Casey said: "We believe that the assertions, if true, ', made by James Polk on the NBC Today show violate the prohibitions in 18 U.S.C. 798 against publishing any clas- sified information concerning the com- munications inteligence activities of the United States. My statutory obliga- , tion to protect intelligence sources and methods requires me to refer this mat- ter to the Department of Justice." ~ The law, passed in 1950, bars publics- tion of any information relating to codes and intelligence gathered through intercepted communications. In one of its broadest provisions, it pro- hibits disclosure of communications by foreign governments if they were ob- tained through interception. No news organizations have ever been prosecuted under this statute. The tip [hat lead to the investigation of Mr. Pelton came tram Vitaly Yur- chenko, aformer official of the K.G.B., the Soviet intelligence agency who de- fected to the West. Mr. Yurchenko sub- ! sequently returned to the Soviet Union, charging he was kidnaped and tortured by the Central Intelligence Agency. But Amertcan officials have concluded he was a defector who changed his mind. According to court papers, Mr Pelton was overheard talking to Mr. Yur- chenko in one of the phone calls inter? cepted by American authorities in 1980. Judge Murray began questioning prospective jurors today about their af- filiation with the military, the United States government, and local law en- forcement agencies. He said he would question them individually in his cham- bers. The jurors were asked to fill out questionnaire in which they were asked to identify, among other things, which newspapers they read, which television news shows they watched, and the names of their three favorite television shows. Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/02/10 :CIA-RDP90-009658000707060062-7