Pravda.ru, the Russian news website, has repeated the claim made by a former US Congresswoman that 12,000 US troops were in Malta before being deployed to Libya.
The claim is made in an opinion piece by Lisa Karpova entitled 'US troops waltzing into Libya while setting up Iran' which was given prominence at the top of the homepage.
She says that it was recently reported that 12,000 American troops were in Malta waiting for "deployment" to Libya.
"Who do they think they are sending all those troops into a country they have no business entering? Who gave them permission? Do the American people even know their troops have invaded yet another country?
The opinion writer said it was time for the international criminal court to investigate and deal with the actions of the United States military, invading countries, stealing their resources while committing genocide and sick, demented atrocities on the local population and setting up false flag operations.
See: http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/24-01-2012/120320-US_troops_waltzing_into_Libya-0/
Robert Tilford of the Charlotte City Buzz Examiner also reported the claim about US troops in Malta moving to Libya, but also noted that the US Embassy (like the Maltese government) last week denied the claim that there were US troops in Malta.
The claim was first made by former US Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney who said in her blog that "12,000 U.S. troops (are) stationed in Malta and they are about to make their descent into Libya".
Cynthia McKinney, a peace activist and a US Presidential nominee for the Green Party, made the statement on her blog http://allthingscynthiamckinney.posterous.com under the headline: Why Is President Obama Sending 12,000 US Troops To Libya?
She said she received the information from foreign media publications and "Libyan sources" but later added that she hoped it was wrong.
"The allegations are completely false," the government had said in its statement.
Ms McKinney has opposed the US's military intervention in Libya and has accused Nato and her country of trying to assassinate Muammar Gaddafi.