Mubarak Demands Reagan Apologizes to All Egyptians : Too Upset to Read U.,S. Note

CAIRO —  President Hosni Mubarak, still angry over the U.S. interception of an Egyptian plane carrying four cruise ship hijackers, today demanded an apology from President Reagan “for all Egyptians.”

Mubarak told reporters that he had not even read a message from Reagan delivered Sunday by U.S. Ambassador Nicholas Veliotes because “I am very upset.”

An American official, who refused to be identified, had said the Reagan letter “indicates a level of understanding” of the Egyptian position in trying to deliver the hijackers of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro to the Palestine Liberation Organization. (Story, Page 8.) Egypt had said the hijackers would be tried by the PLO.

Passenger Killed

An American passenger was killed during the hijacking.

U.S. jets from the aircraft carrier Saratoga on Friday intercepted the Egyptair Boeing 737 with the hijackers aboard and forced it to land in Sicily. The pirates were arrested there by Italian authorities and have been charged with murder in the American’s death and other crimes.

Mubarak earlier called the U.S. interception “an act of piracy.”

“I didn’t receive any appropriate apology,” he said today. “This is needed for all Egyptians. All Egyptians should know that. There shouldn’t be a personal apology in this matter.”

The U.S. official who spoke to reporters Sunday said the Reagan message was a “very good first step” toward repairing the damage to U.S.-Egyptian relations.

‘Am Very Upset’

But today, Mubarak said: “Till now, I didn’t read this message. Frankly, I am very upset.”

He added: “I hope that the cloud will pass. . . . I hope we could reach a point where we could clarify this.”

But he said he fears that placing the hijackers on trial in Italy will “not stop the violence.”

“Had the Italians and Americans not taken these people, I think they would have avoided lots of things which may take place in future,” he said.

Mubarak said he decided to hand the gunmen over to PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat rather than to the Italians or Americans to avoid an escalation of reprisal attacks.

Meanwhile today, Yugoslavia said it will respond soon to a U.S. request for the extradition of a Palestinian leader accused of masterminding the Achille Lauro hijacking, but the PLO said he had already left the country.

Warrant for Arrest

The Palestinian leader, Abul Abbas, arrived in Yugoslavia from Italy on Saturday despite a U.S. warrant issued for his arrest and a request to Italy to hold him. Abbas, leader of the Palestine Liberation Front, a PLO splinter group loyal to Arafat, was on the Egyptian airliner with the four ship hijackers when it was intercepted by U.S. warplanes and forced to land in Sicily.

Vidoje Zarkovic, president of Yugoslavia’s ruling Communist Party, said the government will issue a statement “soon” on the extradition request for Abbas, 38, a member of the PLO’s ruling executive committee.

An official at the PLO office in Belgrade said Abbas has already left the country.

‘Just Passing Through’

“Abbas was just passing through Yugoslavia on his trip out of Italy,” said the official, who would not comment on Abbas’ destination. “He was not on an official visit here, and therefore it was not necessary for him to meet any Yugoslav officials.”

Abbas’ departure could not be independently confirmed. CBS News, which interviewed Abbas on Sunday, said it spoke to him in Belgrade again today.

In Washington, the State Department said it will be “extremely upset and disappointed” if Abbas has left Yugoslavia.