U.S. Won’t Pay Libya Ransom to Identify Body
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WASHINGTON — The State Department on Monday ruled out a ransom payment or other concessions to Libya in order to determine whether a body that reportedly washed ashore is that of one of the two American airmen lost in the April 15 bombing of Tripoli and Benghazi.
“Simple humanity would dictate a prompt resolution of this issue,” Bernard Kalb, the State Department spokesman, said.
But, he said, “we have not, as yet, received any response to various diplomatic approaches through various channels about identifying the body.”
An Air Force F-111 fighter-bomber and its two-man crew were lost in the raid. Western diplomatic sources were quoted in Tripoli on Sunday as saying that secret negotiations have been held for 10 days over the return of the body.
The sources, who were not identified, said Libya has demanded ransom or concessions. The official Libyan news agency Jana said, meanwhile, that the plane’s wreckage has washed ashore.
Kalb, in response to questions at the State Department’s daily press briefing, said, “the United States would not consider any ransom or any concessions.”
The airmen listed as missing were Capts. Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Paul Lorence of San Francisco.
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