NBC Evening News for
Monday, Jun 08, 1981

(Studio) Israel reported destroying nuclear reactor near Baghdad, Iraq; details given. Prime Min. Menahem Begin's justification of attack noted.
REPORTER: Roger Mudd

(Tel Aviv, Israel) Begin's radio statement outlined; films shown. [Former head of Israeli nuclear program Yuval NE'EMAN - supports raid.] [Former military chief Chaim HERZOG - thinks raid's timing was political] Details of raid outlined.
REPORTER: Arthur Kent

(Studio) Reagan administration's reaction to raid reported.
REPORTER: Roger Mudd

(DC) [State Department spokesperson Dean FISCHER - expresses concern, condemns raid.] Possibility that Israel violated United States law due to use of American-made planes in raid mentioned. [FISCHER - defs. United States intelligence.] Details of raid given, map shown. United States recalled urging France and Italy to cut back their nuclear association with Iraq; Israel noted repeatedly warning of attack on reactor. Possibility that Mideast peace mission of Philip Habib has been jeopardized considered.

(Studio) Senate Foreign Relations Committee said briefed on raid today.
REPORTER: Roger Mudd

(DC) Capitol Hill reaction to event examined; House television tapes shown. [Representative Clement ZABLOCKI - criticizes raid.] [Senator Larry PRESSLER - opposes more US aircraft being sent to Mideast.] Pressler said pushing for investigation by Senate Foreign Relations Committee [Senators Henry JACKSON, Alan CRANSTON - comment on raid.] Cranston's feeling that such a raid could be inevitable with Libya, Pakistan or other ntns. with nuclear ambitions mentioned; Israeli air force said only enforcer of nuclear nonproliferation treaty.
REPORTER: Tom Pettit

(Studio) French technician said allegedly killed during raid.
REPORTER: Roger Mudd

(Paris, France) Reaction here to attack examined; films shown. Agreement between former French Prime Min. Jacques Chirac and Iraq President Saddam Hussein recalled; Israel's opposition to France's role in Mideast nuclear development discussed. 1979 bombing of nuclear plant parts stored in French warehse. and destined for Iraq recalled suspected as being work of Israel; murder of Egyptian nuclear scientist working for Iraqis recalled unsolved. Position of new French president on nuclear development and Israel noted.
REPORTER: Jim Bittermann

(Studio) Egyptian government's condemnation of raid quoted; President Anwar Sadat's recent summit with Prime Min. Menahem Begin recalled.
REPORTER: Roger Mudd