141. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, the Federal Republic of Germany, and Greece1
281548. Subject: Possible Renewal of Libyan Assassination Campaign—Update. Ref: State 277512.2
1. (S) Entire text.
2. Shortly after the drafting of reftel it came to the attention of the Department that the official Libyan news agency (JANA) in an October 17 (1920 GMT) English language broadcast (FBIS 102 of 18 October) was claiming that the attack on the Libyan graduate student had been carried out by a member of the “World Revolutionary Committee”. The report justified the attack on the grounds that the student had become “an agent and spy for American intelligence”.
3. In response to this statement from JANA the Department called in the head of the Libyan People’s Bureau and gave him the following note:
Begin text: On October 17, 1980 the Jamahiriya News Agency (JANA), in an English language program, broadcast at 1920 GMT, claimed that the October 14 attack and serious wounding of Faisal Zagallai, a Libyan graduate student at Colorado State University, was carried out by a member of the “World Revolutionary Committee” and justified the attack on the grounds that Zagallai “became an agent and spy for American intelligence.” This claim by JANA is made despite the fact that earlier in the day representatives of the People’s Committee had told officials of the United States Department of State that the attack had been carried out without the knowledge or approval of Libyan authorities and expressed their own “regret and shock” over the incident. At this meeting the State Department representatives, in the strongest terms, made it clear just how seriously the United States Government regards such an act. They made it clear also that any official involvement in this attack either by the Libyan Government or those representing the Libyan Government could have grave consequences for relations between the United States and Libya.
The Department of State must now reiterate—in the clearest and most unequivocal terms—how seriously it regards an attack of this [Page 341] nature carried out within the sovereign territory of the United States. The clear disagreement between the JANA account and the People’s Bureau account of this deplorable attack leaves the Department no choice but to demand from the Jamahiriya a comprehensive and definitive official explanation of this incident. In view of the gravity of the issue, this official explanation is required within 48 hours from the receipt of this note. End text.
4. On October 20 the Libyan People’s Bureau responded to the note indicating that their response came from Tripoli and represented the official position of the Jamahiriya;
—In the report in question the Libyan news service (JANA) did not reflect the views of Libyan authorities—the media “does not make foreign policy”.
—The Libyan Government and its officials had nothing to do with this incident.
—The Libyan Government asks the United States Government to take full responsibility for the safety of Libyan students in the United States.
—In addition the Jamahiriya asks that the Colorado incident be fully investigated and that the People’s Bureau be given a full report of the attack.
5. The Department does not give this denial any real credibility and is considering additional steps which may be necessary in response to this incident. Addressees will be kept fully informed of any such measures. You may draw upon the above points in briefing your host government.
- Source: National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, D800503–0511. Secret; Immediate. Drafted by Roy; cleared in P, NEA/AFN, L, D/CT, EUR/WE, EUR/CE, EUR/NE, SY, and INR; approved by Constable.↩
- See footnote 2, Document 140.↩