Troop build-up not prelude to war — Egyptian P.M.

Press, 2 December 1985, Page 8

Troop build-up not prelude to war — Egyptian P.M.

NZPA-Reuter Cairo Egypt continued a troop build-up on the border with Libya yesterday and the Prime Minister, Mr Ali Lotfi, said that his Government would do its utmost to prove Libyan complicity in the hijacking of an Egyptian airliner.

It appears that a second hijacker survived the rescue bid by the Egyptian commandos and is now in hospital in Malta suffering from a nervous breakdown.

Military sources said that Egyptian troops were on maximum alert on the border but Mr Lotfi, who

was addressing Parliament, appeared to rule out immediate action.

“We are not warmongers, but when the suitable time comes Egypt will have a decisive stand because we cannot forgive this crime,” he said. “The Government will use all means to verify the evidence it has not only to punish the culprits but to protect the lives of Egyptians inside the country and abroad.”

Among the evidence pointing to a Libyan role was that a Tunisian passport holder identified by survivors as one of the hijackers, had lived in

Libya. He gave no other details.

The pilot of the hijacked Slane said yesterday that he elieved a second hijacker had survived and was receiving treatment in a Maltese hospital after suffering a nervous breakdown.

Captain Hani Galal, who returned to Cairo yesterday, said, “There is a person we suspect and they are now trying to establish his nationality and background. He is now in Malta.” The man identified earlier as a surviving hijacker, Omar Marzouki, was also being treated in hospital in Malta for wounds he

suffered when Egyptian troops attacked the plane. Egypt has requested his extradition and Malta reportedly has agreed to the request. The Egypt Air plane was hijacked on November 24 after leaving Athens and forced to land on the Mediterranean island of Malta. The take-over ended on Monday when Egyptian commandos assaulted the plane after the hijackers killed several hostages. Fifty-nine of the 98 people on board died. Libya said in a statement issued in Kuwait yesterday that Egypt had concentrated ground forces near

the border and its planes had been flying reconnaissance missions.

Egypt has denied Libyan accusations that it planned to invade, saying its military moves were defensive. The two countries fought a brief border war in 1977.

The Egyptian Parliament rejected on Saturday an Opposition proposal to set up a committee of inquiry into the assault on the hijacked Boeing. Instead the People’s Assembly, where the Governent has an absolute majority, approved a resolution submitted by Mr Lotfi expressing support for the military intervention.