From the declassified documents obtained by Canadian journalist, Stanley Tromp: http://www3.telus.net/index100/records2
11 January 1990 Moscow
…The Soviets believe the new Romanian Government, hoping to maintain economic ties with the Arab world, is downplaying evidence that “Arab terrorists” fought alongside Securitate forces. [NOTE: So well over two and half weeks after the Ceausescus were executed, the Soviets did not question the existence of Securitate forces fighting in December 1989. That was an accepted fact. The discussion refers to the Middle Eastern mercenaries who fought ALONSIDE the Securitate forces.]
5. On January 10, Poloff (Political Officer) met with Vladimir Lapshin, Chief of the Romanian in Department in the MFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Socialist Countries of Europe Administration, for a readout on the (Soviet Foreign Minister) Shevardnadze visit to Bucharest. Lapshin, who served in Romania from 1973 to 1979, participated in all of the Bucharest meetings.
ARAB TERRORISTS
7. Noting Romania’s need to develop trading ties with various countries, Lapshin suggested that the new government was attempting to “quiet down” evidence that Arab “Terrorist Squads” participated in the December fighting on the side of the Securitate. He implied that the Soviets believed such squards existed. In Lapshin’s view, the new government was anxious not to offend any of the Arab states with whom it wanted to maintain or develop economic ties. [NOTE: If Lapshin wanted to discredit the new government completely, he could have said that the “Arab terrorists” were a myth and did not exist, that the Front had invented them to legitimize their seizure of power; if he was looking to express complete support for the Front, he would not have raised the possibility, as he did here, that they were lying now about the existence of the Arab terrorists for post facto political purposes. No, the issue is that the new Romanian government, for “reasons of state,” actually more than just economic reasons as Lapshin speculates, but also for reasons of the security of Romanian citizens working in the Arab states in question–most notably, Libya–was acceding to, and cooperating in the former Securitate’s cover-up, to eliminate evidence and memory of the foreign contingent, who, along with a part of the Securitate, had fought on the losing side of the Revolution, in defense of Nicolae Ceausescu.]
For evidence, confirming Lapshin’s suspicion, see for example:
https://romanianrevolutionofdecember1989.com/foreign-intervention/
Roland O. Thomasson, PHD 