The State Department expressed concern today about the presence in Iraq of Abu Nidal, an Arab terrorist believed responsible for the attempted assassination of the Israeli Ambassador to London Shlomo Argov, last June.
The 43-year-old Palestinian, whose real name is Sabri Banna, is also believed to have been behind the attempted assassinations of other diplomats in Europe and attacks on synagogues in several west European countries.
“We are concerned at the willingness of the government of Iraq to offer a haven to a man who is a known international terrorist,” Department spokesman John Hughes said. He said that Iraq is “fully aware of our views.”
Hughes’ statement also noted that “Iraq has itself been a victim of international terrorism.” But when asked to cite any terrorist incidents in Iraq, he said he could not recall them.
CONTEXT OF THE CONCERN
Hughes was responding to a story in the Washington Post today from Beirut which said Abu Nidal has been living in Baghdad since March and that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein acknowledged his presence to British reporters in September. The arrival in Baghdad last March of Abu Nidal, who the Washington Post called “the Arab world’s foremost terrorist,” occurred after the February 26 announcement by the Reagan Administration that it had taken Iraq off the list of countries that supported terrorism.
The Administration also indicated at the time that the U.S. planned to sell Iraq 6-12 transport planes for civilian purposes. That sale has been blocked by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Abu Nidal claimed credit for the attempt on the life of Ambassador Argov which was followed by Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.
Nidal broke with the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1972 over what he considered a too moderate stance. He was sentenced to death in absentia by El Fatah for ordering attacks on PLO officials. He has also been responsible for attacks on Palestinians and Arab diplomats abroad.
Hussein expelled Abu Nidal from Iraq four years ago because he opposed Iraqi support for the PLO. He lived in Damascus before returning to Baghdad this year.
WITHDRAWAL TALKS HANGING FIRE
In other matters, Hughes said the reason talks have not started between Israel, Lebanon and the U.S. on Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon is that some issues between Lebanon and Israel are not yet resolved. But he said the U.S. was “enthusiastic about an early start and very enthusiastic about early withdrawal” of all foreign forces from Lebanon.
Hughes said that Philip Habib, who was the U.S. special envoy for the crisis in Lebanon, was in Washington for talks at the State Department. But there are no plans to send him back to the Middle East although that was “always possible,” Hughes said. The special envoy now conducting negotiations in Lebanon is Morris Draper, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East and South Asian Affairs.
Meanwhile, the White House has announced that King Hussein of Jordan will visit Washington December 21.
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