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.