The World - News from Aug. 7, 1986

Malta said it warned Libya that warplanes were headed its way shortly before the U.S. air attack began last April 15. State Department spokesman Charles Redman said there was no reason to discount the claim, but he maintained that “the raid was a tactical surprise.” A Malta government spokesman said the warning was a routine communication between air controllers and that the nationality of the planes was not determined. “We relayed the information to Libya, but they didn’t appear to act on it,” he said, adding that the warning was in keeping with a 1984 friendship treaty with Libya.