U.S. threat to Libya

Press, 10 May 1980, Page 9

U.S. threat to Libya

NZPA-Reuter Washington The United States State Department told Libya yesterday that its mission in Washington would be closed unless four expelled officials left the country immediately and all others obtained regular diplomatic accreditation. The police increased their guard on the building to prevent the four officials, who had remained in the embassy for more than two days, from leaving except in police custody. A crack Special Weapons

and Tactics team, usuallyused in siege and hostage incidents, was deployed at the mission, a spokesman said. “Under the circumstances, we find it necessary to beef up the security forces around the area to ensure the protection of the embassy and that the four whom we have expelled are unable to leave the premises except under our custody,” he said. The head of the Libyan mission (Mr Ali Houderi) was summoned to the State Department and told the Libyan People’s Bureau, as

the mission calls itself, would be closed unless his country accredited all its diplomats under regular procedures. The four officials, accused of trying to intimidate Libyan 'students living in the United States, have refused to accept American expulsion orders because they said they were not accredited diplomats. The mission has sought guidance from Tripoli, the Libyan capital on what to do next.