Cablegate: White Paper On Libyan Support for Terrorism

O 240050Z AUG 90 ZEX
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS IMMEDIATE
SPECIAL EMBASSY PROGRAM

UNCLAS STATE 284025

INFORM CONSULS

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PTER OPRC LY IS
SUBJECT: WHITE PAPER ON LIBYAN SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM

1. THE DEPARTMENT WILL RELEASE A WHITE PAPER TITLED
"LIBYAN SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM THREATENS THE MIDDLE EAST"
ON MONDAY, AUGUST 27. THE TEXT OF THE WHITE PAPER, AND
GUIDANCE FOR ANSWERING PRESS/HOST GOVERNMENT INQUIRIES,
FOLLOWS. A HARD COPY OF THE REPORT WILL BE POUCHED TO
POSTS.

2.BEGIN TEXT.

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LIBYAN SUPPORT FOR TERRORISM THREATENS THE MIDDLE EAST
--------------------------------------------- ---------

ON MAY 30 1990, TERRORISTS FROM THE PALESTINE LIBERATION
FRONT (PLF), A GROUP LED BY ABU ABBAS AND SUPPORTED BY
LIBYA, UNDERTOOK A TERRORIST OPERATION IN ISRAEL. THE
ATTACK, HAD IT SUCCEEDED, WOULD HAVE KILLED
CIVILIANS--PERHAPS INCLUDING AMERICANS--ON TEL AVIV'S
PUBLIC BEACHES. THE CAPTURED TERRORISTS HAVE STATED
PUBLICLY THAT CIVILIAN CASUALTIES WERE AMONG THEIR
OBJECTIVES. THE PLF CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY SHORTLY
AFTER THE ATTACK IN A STATEMENT TO THE PRESS IN
BAGHDAD. LIBYA WORKED WITH PLF LEADER ABU ABBAS--THE
SELF PROCLAIMED "MASTERMIND" OF THE 1985 HIJACKING OF
THE CRUISE SHIP ACHILLE LAURO IN WHICH AN AMERICAN WAS
BRUTALLY KILLED--AND PROVIDED EXTENSIVE SUPPORT
ESSENTIAL TO THE PLF OPERATION.

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LIBYA'S SUPPORT CRUCIAL TO THE PLF OPERATION
--------------------------------------------

LIBYA PROVIDED DIRECT SUPPORT IN ALL PHASES OF
PREPARATION FOR THE PLF ATTACK AGAINST ISRAEL FROM
PLANNING THE ATTACK TO ACCOMPANYING THE SHIP FROM WHICH
IT WAS LAUNCHED. THE FULL EXTENT OF LIBYAN COMPLICITY
BECAME CLEAR AS INFORMATION GATHERED BOTH BEFORE AND
AFTER THE ATTACK FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WAS PIECED
TOGETHER. PLF MEMBERS BEGAN PREPARING FOR A SEABORNE
OPERATION AT LEAST AS EARLY AS OCTOBER 1988. FROM LATE
1988 UNTIL THE OPERATION WAS LAUNCHED TRAINING AND
PREPARATIONS TOOK PLACE IN LIBYA AT SEVERAL
LOCATIONS--INCLUDING A LIBYAN NAVAL BASE. LIBYAN NAVAL
PERSONNEL WERE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE TRAINING AND
OVERALL SUPERVISION FOR THE OPERATION.

ASSAULT BOATS PURCHASED AND MODIFIED. LIBYA
MANUFACTURES ASSAULT BOATS OF THE TYPE USED IN THE PLF
ATTACK AT ITS BENGHAZI SHIPYARD. SEVERAL OF THESE
BOATS WHICH ARE ABOUT 27 FEET LONG AND HAVE A TOP SPEED
OF 35 KNOTS, WERE MODIFIED IN LIBYA TO CARRY AND FIRE A
HEAVY MACHINE GUN AND A MULTIPLE ROCKET LAUNCHER. THIS
TYPE OF ASSAULT BOAT WAS AVAILABLE AT SEVERAL SITES USED
BY THE PLF. TWO OF THESE BOATS WERE CAPTURED DURING THE
PLF ATTACK.

TINY STAR ACQUIRED. STAR NAVIGATION COMPANY OF PIRAEUS,
GREECE, PURCHASED A MERCHANT SHIP WHICH IT NAMED THE
TINY STAR IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR. THE SHIP EARLIER
CALLED THE INGER M, SAILED FROM CYPRUS ON APRIL 10
DECLARING ITS DESTINATION TO BE TRIFOLI, LIBYA. THE
TINY STAR WAS THE MOTHERSHIP THAT CARRIED THE ASSAULT
BOATS AND PLF TERRORISTS TO THE LAUNCH SITE.

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RETRACING THE COURSE OF THE TINY STAR
-------------------------------------

TINY STAR'S UNUSUAL MOVEMENTS IN LIBYAN WATERS BETWEEN
LATE APRIL AND MID-JUNE COINCIDED WITH ACTIVITIES OF THE
PLF BOTH IN PREPARING FOR THE MAY 30 ATTACK AND IN
DEMOBILIZING FOLLOWING THE FAILED OPERATION. TINY STAR
WAS FIRST NOTED IN EARLY MAY IN TRIPOLI HARBOR. SHE
NEXT MOVED TO A LIBYAN NAVAL BASE LOCATED EAST OF
TRIPOLI WHERE, ON MAY 24, SHE ENGAGED IN CARGO
OPERATIONS WHICH INCLUDED LOADING THE SIX ASSAULT BOATS
USED IN THE RAID. THE SHIP SAILED FROM THE LIBYAN NAVAL
BASE TO RAS EL-HILAL TO PICK UP THE PLF MEMBERS WHO WERE
TO MAKE THE ATTACK. AT RAS EL-HILAL ON MAY 27, AT LEAST
SIXTEEN TERRORISTS WERE LOADED ABOARD TINY STAR, WHICH
THEN DEPARTED LIBYA FOR THE DROP-OFF POINT WEST OF
ISRAEL.

AFTER LAUNCHING THE ASSAULT BOATS, THE TINY STAR
PROBABLY TRAVELLED WEST-SOUTHWEST TO BLEND IN WITH THE
HUNDREDS OF MERCHANT SHIPS ENROUTE TO AND FROM THE SUEZ
CANAL. THE SHIP WAS DOCKED IN MID-JUNE AT THE LIBYAN
PORT OF TOBRUK. TINY STAR RETURNED TO TRIPOLI HARBOR IN
LATE JUNE. IN LATE JULY, THE SHIP SAILED FROM TRIPOLI
TO PIRAEUS GREECE.

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IMPACT ON THE PEACE PROCESS
---------------------------

THE ABORTIVE MAY 30 PLF ATTACK ON ISRAEL IS EXTREMELY
DISTURBING:

-- IT LED TO THE SUSPENSION OF THE US-PLO DIALOGUE.
ABU ABBAS, LEADER OF THE PLF, IS A MEMBER OF THE PLO
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE. PLO CHAIRMAN ARAFAT DID NOT
CONDEMN THIS ACTION

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