an independent student newspaper serving Notre Dame and Saint Mary ’ s ND students : Despite jet blast , keep troops out of Libya

Even if investigators learn Libyan leader Moammar Khadafy w ere behind W ednesday’s jetliner bom b explosion, a majority of N otre Dame students interview ed w ould not support sending U.S. troops to Libya in retaliation. In addition, a majority o f stu ­ dents questioned support the United States' crossing Khadafy’s "line of death," despite that ac­ tion’s possible connection to the bom b blast w hich killed four Americans. A Palestinian group claimed responsibility for the bombing on Wednesday, saying it was in retalia­ tion for the U S Libyan confronta­ tion last week. Police in several nations said yesterday that they w ere hunting for a female Arab te r­ rorist suspected of planting the bom b w hich caused the blast. Although Khadafy has threatened to retaliate w ith attacks on U.S. targets for last w eek’s con ­ frontation, he denied Libyan in ­ volvem ent in the airliner explosion. Eleven of the 12 students in ter­ viewed after the confrontation but before the blast said they w ould not support sending U.S. troops to Libya. D uring that skirmish, U.S. planes cam e under fire and a t­ tacked a Libyan missile installation and patro l boats. “It (Libya) is no direct threat to our national security and therefore we have a right perhaps to retaliate in specific instances, like for things they’re responsible for,” said Paul Schloemer, a junior psychology m ajor and Naval ROTC midship­ man. "But w e have no right to take over their country or invade." The only studen t interview ed w ho said he supported sending troops to Libya before the jetliner blast said such a move would help stop terrorism. “Khadafy has publicly supported terrorism. Not only in words, but in supplying arms and weapons and also giving terrorists refuge to terrorism,” said John Ratcliffe, a junior government major. "1 think it (sending troops to Libya) is necessary in terms of taking a step towards stopping ter­ rorism ," Ratcliffe said. “You have to take a stand som ew here and it’s gone long enough w ithout som eone doing som ething about it."