UNAUTHORIZED DISCLOSURES ON THE LIBYAN TERRORIST THREAT (U)

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP84B00890R000700020051-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 28, 2005
• Sequence Number: 51
• Publication Date: December 17, 1981
• Content Type: MF

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ROUTING AND RECORD SHEET
SUBJECT: (Optional) Unauthorized Disclosures on the
Libyan Terrorist Threat
FROM:
EXTENSION
NO.
DATE
17 DEC 1981 E
Director ot Security
TO: (Officer designation, room number, and
building)
DATE
OFFICER'S
INITIALS
COMMENTS (Number each comment to show from whom
to whom. Draw a line across column after each comment.)
RECEIVED
FORWARDED
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FORM 610 USEDWIEMUS
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SECRET
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1 7 DEC 1981
MEMORANDUM FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
VIA:
FROM:
Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
Deputy Director for Administration.,
Director of Security
SUBJECT: Unauthorized Disclosures on the
Libyan Terrorist Threat CU)
1. The Office of Security review of the Philip Taubman article STAT
?
(Tab A) in The New York Times entitled "U.S. Search Is On for 5
Terrorists Reported Planning toKill Reagan" does not appear to have
been based on firsthand knowledge of CIA reporting./
SECRET
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ATICL ATPE.:11..L.Tr..."?D 1i. DEC ER 1981
ON PAGE / 4
US. Search Is On for 5 Terrorists
-eported Planning to Kill Reagan
_ By PSEILIPTAIJIiMAN
Special WM, 24re 'Talc rises '
I WASHINGTON, Dec. 3?The Govern-
merit has received detailed reports that
:fiae terrorists trained in Libya entered
the United State last weekend with plans
, to assw;sinate., President Reagan or
other senior Administration. offirialsa
according ta. tcp ,gederaislaw-enforce;,
firentofficialaSSsspS 's.",s7S.asts-sTassassastss,
SEheareports, which the: -crtficiali- de.
dined'to discuss a ins -detail, have
prompted a hugelsationwide search for
the potential assassins and Americans
to whom the; might turn for assistance,
'these officials said.
0 Agents-of the Federal Bureau of In-
vestigation and the Secret Service have
beerrdeploaed around the country in re-
? cent days to question Americans who
have past links in , Libya, including
veterans,of the Army Special Forces, or
Green Berets, who have wai ked in the
'militant Arab naticin in North Africa
:training' terrorists in an - operation or-
ganized by a former American Intelli-
gence agent, Edvrinp-Wilsora s ?': ;-- -- 7' ,
3. Search On for Mercenaries
attacking the President at close range
with small arms.
The informer, who: is not an American
but was otherwise not identified by
these soirees, also supplied the Govern-
ment with detailed information about
the infiltraticri Of terrorists into the
United: States. It is not known whether
he provided names or descriptions of as-
sassination team memhem. :
3) Intelligence officials said the inform-
er's account had stood up to intense
questicning and his credibility, which is
now considered goc;d, had "made believ-
ers" out of law-enforcement officials:
His information has also been echoed by
other sources, including intelligence in-
formation received early in the fall that
Muaanniar el-Qaddafi, the leader of
Libya, was planning to seek revenge for
the shooting down of two Libyan jets in
an aerial dogfight with American planes
last Augast. '
The apparent threat against the
'dent his led to a significant 'in-
crease in security for Mr. Reagan and
other topGcriernment officials, accord-
g to White House aides.' ? '
Officials said, for example/that Air
Force:One had been equippethwith: so-
phisticated - electronic equipment that
would allow pilots to evade a missile at-
tack. Mr: Reagan has also begun riding
in unmarked cars instead of his official
limousine in Presidential motorcades.
In additiona the. Secret Service has re-
cently begun- sending "dummy' motor-
cades through Washington that appear
to be carrying senior Administration of-
Agents of the F.B.I.:In the field said in
telephone interviews ,that they had, or-
ders to find and question other military
veterans who had worked overseas in
mercenary operations and were skilled.
in the handlir.g.otssreapccs and explos
sives. ,? ,s1sS Saassaass ass sassiS
cuaogn about sa Libyan threat has
mounted in recent Weeks as initially un-
oonfinned intelligence reports were but-
tressed by informaticn supplied by an afiacialssa,sbut actually only security
informant who has given American in- -5- '
telligence agencies first-hand ..descrip- 7'L'ritYlmcieased
tions ofthe training-and plans forassas- -''State Department officials said
sinations, according' to senior Adrainis-
trationoffirial ss saa ? ? , 2 '
y They said that this informant, who
has been closely questioned by the that there was evidence that the at-
F.B.I., Secret Service and Central Intel- tempted shooting of an American diplo-
ligence Agency, told the Goveramerit mat in Paris last =nth was organized
by Libya. In that attack, a gunmen fired
six shots at Christian A, Chapman; the
charge d'affaires at the American Em-
bassy, as he was leaving his home. Mr.
Chapman, who took shelter behind his
car, was not hit. The gunman escaped.
earlier this week that security for Secre-
tary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr. had
^ so been increased recently.
Senior intelligence officials said today
? thatlas helpedtrain assassination teams
? in Libyaand worked on the preparation
of specific plans to attack President
Reagan and otbex. top Coveniment otfi-
These plans, intelligence and law-e-
forcenierit officials said tcday, incltale a
plat to kill Mr. Reaganby shcoting down
Air Force One, the Presidential jet, with
a surface-to-air missile, blowing up the
: President's linssuaine with- aasncket or
-9 These intelligence sources also said
that the United States Ambassador. to
? Italy, Maxwell M. Rabb; was the target
of a Libyan assassination plot in Octo-
ber. Mr. Rabb was hastily flown' out of
Milan in October and returned to the
United States after security officials
learned that an attack might be immi-
nent. He has returned to his post, but se-
curity measures have been increased.
0 Intelligence officials indicated today
that C.I.A. analysts believe Colonel
Qaddafi's initial threats following the
clowning of the two jets may have been
further inflamed by published reports
that the American C-creernment was
considering plans to underwrite an as-
sassination attempt against the Libyan
leader. These officials denied that the
United States ever contemplated trying
tp kill Colonel Qaddafi. ?
'Have Absolute, Hard Proof7
.? ?
have absolute, -hard proof ? that
Libya has sent assassination teams into
other canaries," said a senior Intelli-
gence official. "When the first reports
came in that Qaddafi might be consider-
ing attacks on American officials, they
had to be viewed seriously, but some of
the stories seemed unbelievseable. Those
doubts have been overcome by the ac-
counts of the informant. We consider
this to be a very serious threat" .
I')Law enforcement officials said today
that the assassination team's, which ap-
parently incite Libyans and recruits
from other Middle Eastern nations,
have orders to attack lesser Govern-
ment officials if they fail to kill Mr. Rea-
gan. There is also evidence, they said,
that additional potential targets include
members of Mr. Reagaa's family,
. .
IP "They want to make a sensation,"
said one senior law enforcement offi-
cial, referring to the goal of the Libyan
teams. "If they can't get the President,
they're apparently under instructions to
anyone close to him." :
Law enforcement officials said all
American ports of entry were being
closely monitored by the F.B.I., the CUs-
toms Service and other , agencies.
Particular attention is; being paid to
entry points on the border with Canada,
including Detroit where officials believe
infiltration may be attempted.:
The informant has told the Govern-
ent that assassination team members
may try to recruit Americans to help
them, according to intelligence sourr.s..
They added that so far there was no indi-
cation that any of the assassination
team members were trained in Libya by
Americans or others working for Mr.
Wilson, the former C.I.A agent who was
charged last year with illegally shipping
explosives to Libya as part of an opera-
tion to train terrorists there.
? - ? .?....
Aku)s to tok
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INTERNATIONNtr"ed
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e first step wouin be the evacuation of
LIBYA
New Threats From Kad
91' he disintegrating relationship between
-11- the Reagan Administration and Lib-
ya's Muammar Kaddafi slid toward termi-
nal disrepair last week: U.S. intelligence
sources now say that Kaddafi is plotting to
assassinate the President and other top
American officials. Kaddafi first talked
loosely about killing Reagan after American
F- 14s blasted two of his warplanes out of the
sky over the Gulf of Sidra last August. But
now, senior American officials told NEWS-
WEEK, Kaddafi's talk appears to be more
than bluster. These officials say
Kaddafi has expanded his hit list to
include Vice President George
Bush, Secretary of State Alex-
ander Haig and Defense Secretary
Caspar Weinberger?and that he
has equipped special assassination
squads with bazookas, grenade
launchers and even portable
SAM-7 missiles capable of bring-
ing down the President's plane.
The Administration, persuaded
by theintelligence that the threat is
very real, has increased security
around the President and other
potential targets?and has begun
putting final touches on plans to
tighten a political, economic and
possibly military vise around Kad-
dafi. "He is really getting out of
hand," said one aide. "For the first
time, the highest officials in our
government are threatened."
Warnings: The Administration
has tried to defuse Kaddafi since it
first took office, but the effort to
solve "the Kaddafi problem"
gained greater urgency when the
intelligence officials reported the
new plots. Earlier warnings of
plots against the American am-
bassadors to Rome, Paris, Vienna and Lon-
don (NEwswEEK, Nov. 9) were uncom-
fortably on target. Last September Italian
police intercepted a squad sent by Kaddafi
to murder U.S. Ambassador Maxwell
Rabb. And although there is no hard evi-
dence, intelligence officials are confident
that Kaddafi was behind the attempted as-
sassination two weeks ago of Christian
Chapman, the ranking American diplomat
in Paris. Officials say that no suspected hit
teams have been spotted entering the Unit-
ed States?but they warn that Kaddafi al-
-eady has agents among the Libyan exile
ommunity in America.
The proposals for confronting Kaddafi,
'hich will be presented to Reagan shortly,
m min no quick fixes. A military attack
mains only a far-out contingency plan,
:hough the Sixth Fleet might return in
-cc to the disputed Gulf of Sidra for more
a
aggressive maneuvers as early as next Feb-
ruary. The CIA has briefed Congress on the
possibility of promoting a coup against
Kaddafi, but such an operation would have
little chance of success because of Kaddafi's
highly effective security service run by the
East Germans, the absence of any credible
political opposition and the lack of a cohe-
sive exile movement.
U.S. officials say they have not even con-
sidered matching Kaddafi's assassination
scenarios with one of their own. "The trou-
out 2,000 American oil workers in Libya,
vulnerable hostages in case of American
attack. Their withdrawal would cripple the
Libyan oil industry, 70 percent of which is
dependent on U.S. technology and person-
nel. The Administration has been urging
the oil companies for six months to with-
draw their people. So far only Exxon has
acted. Washington cannot order an evacua-
tion?but, says one official, "we can't wait
forever." The pressure on the holdout com-
panies is sure to increase.
America could also stop buying Libyan
crude. Last year Kaddafi sold 40 percent of
his oil to U.S. refiners for $7 billion. Some
officials argue that Libya would simply sell
its oil elsewhere. Others believe the current
oil glut provides the perfect opportunity for
a successful embargo. "The over-
all oil-supply situation is likely to
retain some slack," writes G.
Henry Schuler, an outside expert
who has developed an options pa-
per on Libya that officials say
closely corresponds to their own.
Several insiders contend that the
key aspect of an oil cutoff would
be to remove the perception that
the United States indirectly sup-
ports Kaddafi's antics. "We are
paying for his depredations," la-
ments one senior official. "An em-
bargo would be very important
politically?and slightly mean-
ingful economically."
Embargo: The Administration
is considering an even broader
step in the same direction: a total
embargo on all trade with Libya.
Despite the growing concern
about Kaddafi, U.S. exports to
Libya nearly doubled to $610 mil-
lion during the first nine months of
this year compared with the same
period in 1980. The United States
already has imposed a ban on mili-
tary sales to Libya, but the ban is
porous: Washington denied per-
mission to the Oshkosh Truck
Corp. of Wisconsin to export 400 heavy-
duty trucks to haul Libyan tanks, but
allowed the same company to sell 400 some-
what modified trucks "to haul oil rigs."
And although the C-130 military transport
is subject to the embargo, Kaddafi has pur-
chased its civilian version, theL-100. Oppo-
nents of the idea, however, say a trade em-
bargo simply invites sales by alternative
suppliers--including the overseas subsid-
iaries of American firms.
The Administration has also announced
an increase in military aid to countries
such as the Sudan and Tunisia that are
directly threatened by Kaddafi's ad ven tur-
ism. In addition, the United States will
probably begin dispatching "information
teams" to brief Kaddafi's targets on Lib-
ya's covert efforts at penetration and sub-
version. Finally, the Administration is also
considering a series of worst-case actions
,
Christine Speneer?Sygma
Kaddafi: Washington and Tripoli start playing for keeps
ble with assassination is it's illegal and it
puts us in the same category as him. It
suggests we are so weak we can only use his
own tools against him," says one Reagan
hand. Even so, officials openly admit that
they would be delighted if someone else
killed Kaddafi?and at least one Adminis-
tration insider has been in direct contact
with Libyan exiles in Western Europe who
are determined to oust Kaddafi.
The Administration's most promising
plan is a long-range strategy of progressive-
ly tougher measures designed to sap Kadda-
fi's influence?and his bank account. "We
can close in on him gradually and increase
the confidence of people working against
him both inside and outside Libya," says
one official. As another points out, "He's
already having a hell of a time meeting his'
commitments. If you get at his cash flow,
you really raise major problems" (page 52).
WSWEEK/NOVEMBERApPftWed For Release 2006/02/07 : CIA-RDP84600890R000700020051-5 51
INTER-KIATIO'PNIZed-Ferralle
against Kaddafi, including B-52 bombing
raids against one or more of his fourteen
terrorist-training camps, in response to an
attempt on the life of a senior American
official. "That's the kind of thing you do if
they take a shot at Reagan," says one top
official.
Even before Kaddafi's latest threats be-
came known last week, security around the
President had been tightened. Following
the attempt on his life last April, the Secret
Service adopted a number of new precau-
tions. At ceremonies in Yorktown last Oc-
tober, mock Colonial troops had to give up
their ceremonial muskets before they could
000700020051-5
counter his threats. Many senior officials,
including Haig, believe that Washington's
failure to put an end to Kaddafi's adventur-
ism undermines confidence in America's
resolve in quieter corners of the world. "The
fact that a country as Weak as Libya can get
away with as much as it does is a signal to the
rest of the Arab world about our willingness
to use military power," said one senior offi-
cial. "The Saudis are asking if the United
States would come to their aid if it is not
willing to act against a known murderer,
terrorist and invader." Clearly, the Admin-
istration will not let that question go beg-
ging much longer.
JOHN BRECHER with JOHN WALCOTT and
DAVID C. MARTIN in Washington
ase 2006/02/07 CIA-RDP84B008911
parade in front of Reagan, who was sequ
tered behind a bulletproof enclosure in t
middle of a grassy battlefield. And the Air
Force planes in the Presidential fleet, in-
cluding those used by Bush, Haig and Wein-
berger, are now equipped with electronic
countermeasures to foil attack?including
an attack by heat-seeking missiles such as
those supplied to Libya by the Soviets.
No Choice: The Soviets have supplied
most of Kaddafi's military hardware, but
the Administration's plans are based on the
assumption that Moscow probably would
not come to Kaddafi's aid. "He's not a Cuba
to them. He's a loose cannon, and he's
crazy," say one senior aide. In any case, the
officials say, they have no choice but to
Li
ya's rowing Woes
In Tripoli last week, NEWSWEEK'S Nairobi bureau chief Ray
Wilkinson assessed Muammar Kaddafi's vulnerabilities in his
own country:
Just a few months ago Kaddafi appeared untroubled?and
untouchable. Oil revenues of $25 billion enabled him to pay for
his program of domestic reform, to back his terrorist adventures
beyond Libya and to thumb his nose at Ronald Reagan. No
longer. The world oil glut has cut deeply into Libya's surplus
revenues. Foreign oil companies are turning feisty. Reagan
keeps stepping up the pressure.
And even within Libya I saw some
tentative but visible signs of oppo-
sition to Kaddafi. "Right now he
has just .caught a cold," one old
hand in Tripoli told me. "But he
will have to tread warily if he
wants to avoid pneumonia."
The immediate problem for
Kaddafi is oil. As the glut engulfed
world markets, Tripoli's produc-
tion dropped by two-thirds, from
1.7 million barrels to 600,000 bar-
rels a day; revenues for this year
have been sliced in half, to about
$12 billion. Faced with Kaddafi's
refusal to lower prices, American
companies have threatened to pull
out unless he made significant
concessions. Exxon announced it
would withdraw totally from Lib-
ya, and Mobil is currently pump-
ing only enough oil to keep the
generators going in the fields. In
response, Kaddafi finally agreed
to drop Libya's price by $1 a bar- Pumping oil: Less crude, less
rel, but it was too little, too late.
"The companies' reaction has been, 'Go to hell and stay there',"
says one Libyan official.
Cutbacks: Kaddafi's oil-revenue crisis seems to be undermin-
ing his ability to make mischief. He has begun to cut back aid to
some of th e fringe guerrilla and revolutionary groups around the
world that he funded in the past. His cash-flow problem may
have been a significant factor in his recent decision to with-
draw his 5,000- to 10,000-man expeditionary force from Chad.
The yearlong operation in Chad cost Kaddafi between $2 billion
and $7 billion. Roughly 1,000 soldiers were killed or wounded,
and the bodies of many were returned to their families with no
explanation except a pinned note: "Died in the accomplishment
of his duty." Says one official: "Had Kaddafi stayed in Chad,
he may even have found discontent growing in the army?his
power base."
At home, Kaddafi has had to decree sweeping austerity
measures. On Oct. 1, he put a ceiling on expenditures for all state
enterprises?the major targets were prized petrochemical
schemes, electricity projects, light industry and consumer im-
ports. The cutbacks will not sit easily with a population that has
been pampered for a decade with free or subsidized housing,
cheap food and more cars, radios and TV sets per family than
Americans can boast. Opposition is growing arnong former
shopkeepers and traders in the
Ocodenta I Petroleum Corp.
souks that were nationalized in
1980-81. Sketchy reports lead dip-
lomats to believe that Kaddafi has
survived one or more low-key
coup attempts. Whether or not
such rumors are true, the Libyan
strongman realizes that he has an
implacable foe in the Reagan Ad-
ministration. "Since June of this
year, he has been genuinely afraid
of the hostility shown by the U.S.
toward him," says one official who
knows Kaddafi well.
Antagonism: Even's?, virtually
all the foreigners living in Libya
seem to believe that Reagan's poli-
cy of confrontation is wrong. "I
am more afraid of what Washing-
ton will do than of what Libya will
do;" says one U.S. oilman. Diplo-
mats from nations allied to the
United States echo these feelings.
"It is not right or wise for Western
policy to back this man into a cor-
luxury?and less mischief ner," says a foreign official. One
fear is that Washington's antago-
nism will force Kaddafi formally to join the communist camp.
At the same time, some diplomats say they are beginning to
perceive in Kaddafi a new yearning to change his image as the
international renegade. According to officials in several Europe-
an cities, for example, Kaddafi's agents have privately agreed to
drop Libya's highly publicized assassination campaign against
Libyan exiles. If that is true, tensions could ease. "If Kaddafi
would just shut his mouth, most of his problems would go
away," says one observer in Tripoli. But no one is expecting
Kaddafi to keep quiet for very long.
52
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ON PAGE
? A
THE WASHINGTON POST ;
*lease 2 0 0$3/02/071i30AlatIP 84 BO 0 8 9e 0 0 7 0 0 0 2 0 05 1 -5
'Top-11.8:Offiseis Reporte'd Targets .
Libya Kilier.Squad Coricerns
By Martin Schram
Via.s.Tz: ran Pos.: SW! Virtue
President Reagan said yesterdaj
that he takes seriously and is. 'con
cerr.e.cr about a U.S intelligence re-
port that a five-person Libyan assai-
sination squad has entered the Unit-
ed States on a mission to Ida him or
his top advisers. _
Acting after an informant provid-
ed-US. officials 'with. vink- one in-
telligence source - called7i3n?unconJ
firmed warning of an awiRtatiation
plot, the president ordered -Secret
Ser'-ice protection. Thursday for his
three top White House adviseis:
chief of staff James A: Baker
uty chief of staff Michael K.. Deaver.
counselor Edwin Meese III and depl
: Extra security precautions. have
.also been in effect in.recent weeks
for the protection of:the-president,
- Vice President Bush:, Semetary of
State Alexander M. Haig Jr. and
Secretary of Defense- Caspar W.
Weinberger, after earlier reported
e threats. that they were. marked for:
assassination by terrorisis trained in:
Libya. ? - ?
Now, informed soin-Ces said,
agents of the Secret-Service and FBI
are working throughout the country.
to try to track down an alleged
as-
sassination squad that, was said by
; one informant to have entered- the
_ . _
United States thie,. past.: weekend
with orders to. kill the president .or
his advisers. ? -? . ?-,
" .... -
there -is a threat to therm
that has been made rather obvious,":
Reagan said yesterday-in confirming-
:he has ordered security protection
for his' top aides. 7 -
? He added, "Obviously you'd have
? to be concerned abut ... -all the7
people that have been: named in
this."
- ? Asked if he takes the threat seri-f.
ously, Reagan responded, 1 'think;
you have to. I think it safe to say that in
any security case, even when security gets
what they think is a crank call, they can't
take that for granted? - ?
Intelligence sources familiqr with the
case said that within the last few days an
informant who is not-an American has
given authorities the names of Eve people
. who he claimed were members of a Lib-
yan ps.sng-sination squad. The informant
also repnrtedly claimed to have been in-
Volved in the plprni 3 for the assassina-
:tion _effort Buti:intelligence ? sources
istressed that the credibility of the infor-
Anent has'not been ascertained nor .has.
ihis-story been verified. ?
?????.-- .Another source added,
.,57.1s.re frankly, don't know whether it is fact
t-orfiction. But we can't afford to think in
4erms of haw well he- [the informant] is to
be trusted. We have:got to thinlr in terms
;of- can't hedispelled, so we have got to
The New York Times first reported
yesterday that an *informant had told
;U.S. authorities about a five-person Lib-
van assassination teeth that allegedly en-
!tered the?United States. last weekend.
_
? Last. night, ABC News-reported that!
!U.S. intelligence officials have "partially
-;-.'identified, -with names and-pictures"
some of those believed to -be the Libyan-
;gents. ? ? ?
'
At the'White House, where memories
iTof the March 30 shooting of the president
;and the critical wounding of press secre-
..tary James S. Brady are still painfully
'fresh, the matter is being treated serious-
. .
The press office yesterday is-sued a
statement saying '.that members:of the.
-rmident's staff-had met_ with and tele-
' 'phoned representatives of majornews
-organizatiOns to request that the media
exercise "restraint in reporting and tele-
- vising specific security measures utilized
In the -protection of the president and
: others.". :
. .
". Washington .editors and managers for.
:The New YorkTunes; Washington Post,
ABC, CBS and NBCsaid their nrgani-
.Zations-wonkl_ act with restraint in re-'
:porting Security' measures.' ?
,
ePo- n!
viding terrorist equipment and training
to Libya in order to track down former
rnlitery and intelligerce agents who have
worked in Libya, according to one federal
official.
This source said the case files ?f in-
dicted fugitives Edwin P. Wilson and
Frames a Terpil are not. being reviewed
because authorities have linked .them
?with the .alleged Pinsition team that
is said to have entered the United States.
Rather,- he said, fwleral, oftidels are
seeking all .availghle information on.
.sourees .wh6 might-be able to pr-O;iicie
details of terrori-cr- assassin. training in.
Libya.
. The Libyan new, agency Jana.,-mon-I
itored iii Beirut-by Reuter news agency,
charged last night that:the Reagan ad-
ministration disseminating a "series-
? of lies" in cornmeneon the reports,
-that a Libyan-trained p-as.lksinacto team.
had landed in the United States.--
"rne American r4...i,ns _and series of;
lies to which'the American arinin;5tra-!
tion.resorts in its foreigt policy stem ba-
raice2dy from hatred and intolerance, and
-clearly reflect the-.A.m.e.rican terrorist line
against the people. of the [Lihyan)?Jarra7i .
hiriyah," the agency; said., _ -; .1
: United_PresaInteMational, mew:1740e, ;
-tarried An unconfirmed report that Le-I
hanese security sources-Said-Libyan gun.-
men planned to-a..assinate ReitgadS spe-
.cial envoy,. Philip Habib, during his cur-:
rent visit to the Mideast But .Lebanese
Prime Minister -Shidg al-Witztan was -
quoted by Reuter as saying yesterday he
had received no such reports from secu-
rity sources. -
,
Staff writers- Pairit E. Tyler end; '
Charles. R. ..Scbcoth contributed to thisl
7. Federal investigators- are- reviewing?
: case files on two former U.S. intelligencet
'agente.who have been indicted for pro-!
- . .
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6 DECTIOEFt 1981
014 PAGE E."--11/
?
Assassin Squad
? ? ?
:Vit-portedra U.S.
? Mn2rn" sr ei-Qaddafi has long
? convinced that Washington is
:outto get him - Apparently, he has de-
. eitied to get Washington first Accord-
? ilk In information received by Fed-
? erat law enforcement officials and re-
p'ard by The New York Times, a hit
s..ikttil of five Libyawtrained terror-
: iEiTA .onered ? the United States last
?Vreeltend with plans to assassinate
Tlirt?;s;desit Reagan, other senior Ad-
niini..ktration officiaLs and members of
their families.
An informant . was said to have
givqn first?hand accounts of the train-
ing -of ?the ass's-wins and details of
"their. plans. They included,
..gence officials said, plots to kill the
:?PreVident by shooting down Air Force
Clue with a surlace?to-air missile or
by blowing up the President's linnoa?
? ? ? - ? "
Once dismissed as the-ravings of a
,crackpot, Colonel Qaddafrs threats
? lest their capacity to amuse when he
.dispatched hit squads artiutx1 Europe ?
apd.the Middle East last year. They
a half-dozen Libyan dissidents.'
.-One near-victim was a Libyan* na-
?Iionek in Colorado. ,The xnan accused.
of the shooting, a.fortner Green Beret;
:Eugene Akvs Tadvys, was convicted
Jast. :week on misdemeanor char,. gee of
" - ? _ ..?
.?ipee-"Aineria;n;piinsee shot down-I
??two-Librui jet 34in:es over Libyan-
'. claimed waters?in August, Colonel
QatMgdi has been threatening to exact
revenge. Libya was suspected as the
:in.ltigator of the attempted assessbraw
._tion..last. ? month of the American
cbi d'aftaires in Partkand at a,
.plantokill theAmericanAmbessadorl
_toltistr? - ? ? ? ????? ?-j
?
-
?.- ?
kSummary
Lav;-enforcenient agents were de-1,
.played around the country to hunt for!
the:aasassination team. Agents quesi
ticeed Americans with past linki to
Lihya,including former Gm= Berets
recruited by a former CIA. man,
Edwin P. Wilson, to train terrorists in
Libya. There was no evidence that the
?wvelti-be? Presidential assassins had
ipien trained by-Mr. Wilson's recruits.
7 I:.!resident Reagan acknowledged he
-wets .taking the-threats seriously and
said,2hat security had been-tightened
: foc?aenior officials. The White House
?silted news organizations to refrain
'Atom:Ls-Ai ti,q, details of,-the new
arityineasures:
? ;.Mithae4Wrlbt
and Caranne Rapdtierrvo
- _ _ ?
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ARTICLE APPEARED
-
ON
THE WASHINGTON POST
'6 December -1981
Li1ya Labels Assassin Reports ?
Produet of 'CIA Fantasy Famit
TRIPOLI, Libya, Dec. 5 (AP) ?
The Libyan government today de.;
scribed American news reports that
it sent an assassination team to kill
President Reagan as products of "the
CIA fantasy farm:. -
"Let me state categorically and
unequivocally-that there is no such
hit team working under orders from
-the Libyan Jamahiriyah" ? the Lib-
-yan name for the country ? said
Khalifa Azzabi, director of foreign
information. - --
Azzabi accused Washington of,
? waging a 'disinformation campaign".:
to destabilize MIllgrnmqr Qaddafi's
? government and said Western news- -
media "appear. to.. operate as an
?
annex of the CIA rather than the
disseminator of facts and news?'
? Security for Reagazt and three top
aides has been stepped tipfollowing
the reports, which said the assassi-
nation team may have crossed from
Canada into the United States. At
least two informants have provided
detail3 of the alleged Libyan plot to
U.S. government agents, a reliable
source in Washington said.
? Qaddgi reportedly was enraged
after U.S. Navy jets shot clown two
Libyan reconnaissance planes over
disputed waters 5.0 miles off the Lib-
yan coast in August The United
States said its planes were under
attack. Another supposed motive
was anger over reports that the CIA
. wanted to kill Qaddaii. -
. [The FBI, Secret Service and:
other law enforcement agencies are
saying little about the tip from an
.informant -- who 'was reported to,
have said he helped train terrorists
1
in Libya ? that an a.,sassination
- team has entered the country, Unit-
ed Press International reported from
Washington. `There are no develop-
ments," an FBI spokesman said de-
- fleeting questions on possible arrests
? and a nationwide investigation.) 1
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12 THE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY, .")
Press and TV Ate Asked toCurb
eports on rotection for Reagan
By HOWELL RAINES
Special to TbeNew York Times . .
WASHINGTON, Dec. 4? The White
House has asked major news organiza-
tions to refrain from reporting details of
measures taken to protect Presidkent
?-? Reagan.
--
'1 The requests were made by James A.
? Baker 3d, the White House chief of staff,
in telephone calls and meetings Thurs-
day night and today with editor, and ex-
? -?ecutives of major newspapers, news
1.services and television networks.
The President said today that he took
seriously the reports that a team of ter-
\ - lyrists trained in Libya had infiltrated
- the United States with plans to kill him
- or other senior Aden in istra ion officials.
? In remarks to reporters in the Oval
-Office today, Mr. Reagan confirmed
:that he had ordered extra security pro-
tection for his top aides, saying "there is
? a threat to them that has been made
? rather obvious."
'Concerned Ahout Everyone'
' "Obviously, you'd have to be con-
cerned about everyone and all the peo-
ple that have been named in this," he
said, referring to a report today in The
- New York Times that American intelli-
gence agencies believe five Libyan-
trained terrorists may have slipped into
, the United States.
" Asked if he had expressed his concern
to Muammar el-Qadaffi, the leader of
Libya, the President replied, "I think he
figures that I'm concerned, but no ? as
you know, I hope you understand, we
Dismissed FederalAide
Is Restored to His Post
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 4 (AP) ?The
Justice Department on Thursday rein-
stated Assistant United States Attorney
Robert M. Smith, who contended that he
had been removed from-his job for pont-
- ical reasons.
. James Brosnahan, Mr. Smith's attor-
ney, said he and Mr. Smith reached an
agreement with the department for Mr.
Smith to return to his job just an hour
? before they planned to go to Federal
court seeking the reinstatement.
Mr. Smith's dismissal on Nov. 25 was
rescinded and he was back on the job
immediately, Mr. Bresnahan said.
Mr. Smith had been a top press aide to
former Attorney General Benjamin R.
?Civiletti in the Carter administration.
*); /,? Arthur Brill, deputy director of public
;.-atfa1rs for the Justice Department, said
1istweek that to: his loaccrriedge. Mr.
Sexislec wax; the 'oclyconik'ot the 1.776
1st*
don't talk about security measures and
situations of this kind."
In a briefing on intelligence matters
at the White House today, a senior Ad-
ministration official suggested that the
Libyan activity might have been stimu-
lated by news reports in the American
press.
The official noted that United States
regulations on intelligence operations
prevented its security agencies from
participating in a_ssAssination attempts
against foreign leaders. Nevertheless,
he added,two press reports had indi-
cated that the Central Intelligence
Agency was planning to kill Colonel
Qaddafi.
"These reports had no factual basis,"
the official said, "but they may well
have helped to stir some of the Libyan
activity we are now seeing."
White House Requests 'Restraint'
Mr. Bakers's contacts with news or-
ganizations centered on the request by
the White House that there be no disclo-
sure of measures taken to protect Mr.
Reagan from threats such as that posed
by the reported Libyan agents. .
Mr. Baker talked with officials of The
Times, The Los Angeles Times, The
Washington Post, ABC, NBC, United
Press International, The Associated
Press, Independent Television Network
and the Cable News Network.
"The purpose of the meeting was to
request restraint in reporting and tele-
vising specific security measures uti-
lized in the protection of the President
and others," the White House statement
said.
A. M. Rosenthal, executive editor of
The New York Times who spoke with
Mr. Baker this morning, said: "Our
policy is not to print the details of se-
curity arrangements or other informa-
tion that might weaken the President's
security. That has been our policy for
years."
Libya Accuses U.S. of Lying
BEIRUT, Lebanon, Dec. 4 (Reuters)
? The Libyan Government press
agency Jana accused the Reagan Ad-
ministration tonight of resorting to lies
in its foreign policy.
The official agency was commenting
on reports that the Federal Bureau of In-
vestigation had begun a nationwide
search for Libyan-trained assassins pos-
ing a threat to President Reagan and
other officials.
"The American claims and series of
lies to which the American Administra-
tion resorts in its foreign policy stem
basically froml hatred and intolerance,
and,
41F, r ?r,ff"'41
ADVENT VESPERS-1 981 .?,? 1
St. James Cathedral-Brooklyn
Jay and Tillery Streets ?; ? ?
SUNDAYS at 4 P.NI.
? Honoring the Sesquicentenniai
of the Sisters of Mercy (1831-1981)
, "God's mercy is from gsnerstIon
? to generation Luke 1:40
December 6?RICHARD JOHN NEUHAUS
? Senior Follow, Council on Religion and
International Affairs; Author: Freedom for Ministry
Deceimber 1 3?MARGARET FARLEY, R.S.U.
Professor of Theology, Yale University
? Divinity School, Lecturer, Author -
December 20?GEORGE MALONEY, S.J.
Director, John XXII) institute, New York; ?
Author: Inward Stillness
For further In formation call: 855-6390
PRESBYTEFIAN
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL.
. "r?Sesktatasseir.1.43.,:*
MADISON
AVENUE
PRESWITIMAN
CutatCH ?
Madison Ave. at 73rd St.
Ministers
DAVID H.C. READ
? CHARLES A. MASTEN
ROBERT A. NUNN
Warship Services
9:30 A.M. & 11:15 A.M.
Holy Commooion
DR. READ
preaching
ADVENT VOICES
2) Herod Is
Still Around
JOHN WEAVER,
Organist-Choir Director
9:30 A.M. Church School
(Crib thru Senior High)
? GOSPEL OF ion
THIS TUESDAY
DEC. Brh AT 7 P.M.
BIBLE STUDY
Led by Dr. Read
"THINKING IT OVER"
with Dr. Read
Sundays at 7:15 P.M.
on WOR (710) Radio
Vezammtutmr=umesr
CHURCH OF THE TRUTH
SAINT -
BARTHOLOMEW'S
Park Avenue at 51st St.
The Rev. Thomas D. Bowers
Rector
? ADVENT 11
9 A.M. "
Folk Mass
.1-1 A.M.
? Holy Eucharist
Preacher: The Rector
4 P.M.
? Bach: Magnificat
? Soloists:
Deborah Sayerance,
Soprano ? '
Isola Jones, Contralto
? Dana Talley, Tenor
Richard Turner, Bass
Communion also at 8 A.M.
For Service details, call:
751-1616, Ext. 17
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL
CALVARY
4L-GEORGES