Egypt declares martial law along its Libyan border

Martial law and a year-long state of emergency went into effect Wednesday along Egypt's border with Libya in a swift response to warlike threats from the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar al-Qaddafi. The law, proposed Monday, was approved Tuesday by the parliament's Defense and National Security Committee.

President Sadat said the Egyptian move was necessary as a protective measure because Colonal Qaddafi threatened, in a radio broadcast June 11, to "direct all Libyan weapons against Egypt."

The restrictions place part of Egypt's western desert under the control of the armed forces and limit travel in the area by foreigners and nonresident Egyptian.The law affects a 12- mile-wide strip along the 700 mile border and a 30,000-square-mile area next to the northern section of the frontier. Martial law that was in effect throughout Egypt since the 1967 Middle East war was lifted by Mr. Sadat only last month.