The World - News from March 6, 1987

Libya charged that Egypt is holding five of its soldiers hostage after their plane made an emergency landing, but Cairo said it has proof that the five voluntarily sought political asylum. The Libyan news agency Jana said the five were forced to stay against their will after bad weather forced an emergency landing of their military transport plane in southern Egypt while en route from Chad. It accused Egypt of “air piracy.” But the Cairo government said it has tape recordings of conversations between the plane and a control tower proving the five came to Egypt to seek asylum.