Kadafi Admits but Defends His Support of Terrorists

Libyan leader Moammar Kadafi accepted responsibility today for training and supporting terrorists but defended his government’s role by describing the underground forces as “people who are fighting for their independence.”

Kadafi, in an interview broadcast today on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” also said he expects another U.S. air raid on the capital of Tripoli.

The Libyan leader, who has moved from one spot to another in Libya after an April air raid by U.S. war planes struck his headquarters, was interviewed in the coastal town of Sirt on Tuesday by David Hartman.

“Do you deny that your government supports terrorism?” he asked Kadafi.

“If supporting the struggle of people for liberation is terrorism, then we’re responsible for such acts,” the colonel said.

Kadafi said Libya “has trained fighters in Zimbabwe and the fighters of SWAPO (the Southwest Africa People’s Organization), and we train the fighters of the Palestinian people, the Palestine Liberation Organization.”

“These are people who are fighting for their independence . . . and will continue to do so,” he said through an interpreter. “We shall never retreat from that even if America were to bring us nuclear bombs.”

President Reagan said the United States launched the April attack in retaliation for hijackings and bombings linked to Libya--specifically the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque that killed a U.S. soldier.

Kadafi repeated a threat he has made before: “If America continues its aggression, I shall be forced to raise an international army against America.”

Asked whether such an army would have the blessings of the world’s Arab leaders, Kadafi said: “Well, there are only 20 or 30 Arab leaders. I enjoy the support of 150 million Arabs, and millions of people from all over the world.”