The Associated Press
January 29, 1982, Friday, PM cycle
HEADLINE: ABC News Traces Banned C-130 Cargo Planes to Libya
DATELINE: NEW YORK
BODY:
Despite a U.S. government ban on sales of the aircraft to Libya, three C-130
transports reached that Middle Eastern country and were used in an invasion of
Chad, ABC News says.
In a report on ABC's "20-20" newsmagazine Thursday night, "The Secret Sales,"
the transfer of the three Hercules airplanes was traced from
Alaska International Airways, Pacific Western airlines of Canada, and
Philippine Aerotransport to United African Airways, which is run by the Libyan
government.
The U.S. government, since 1973, has forbidden sale of the versatile military
aircraft to Col. Moammar Qaddafi's Libya.
The Pacific Western airplane was sold to Cargolux, a major European freight
carrier, and later to a company called Greenline Aviation, a dummy company
created by Ali Hijazi, which then leased the plane to the Libyans, ABC said.
The Alaska International plane, ABC said, was chartered to a Miami company,
United Trade International, and was impounded when it was flown to Tripoli,
Libya. The hostage plane was eventually sold to the Libyans, ABC said.
The third Hercules to reach Libya was one of four put up for sale by the
Philippine cargo carrier, ABC said.
ABC said the aircraft were used in the invasion of Chad and to haul missiles and
uranium across the Libyan desert.