Newspapers / Daily Tar Heel (Chapel … / April 25, 1990, edition 1 / Page 5
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H stage iue persists despite release Jm mL The Daily Tar HeelWednesday, April 25, 19905 By ANDRE HAUSER Staff Writer Former hostage Robert Polhi 1 1 safely left Beirut after almost 39 months in captivity, but his release does not sig nal hri end to hostage-taking as a politi cal tool. Polhill's release may have been an attempt by the pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine to in crease its publicity, said Robert Neu mann, former American ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Afghani stan. Kidnapping is an old and brutal custom, and it will continue to be used because it is so easy, he added. Polhill was driven from Beirut to Damascus, and from there was flown to a U.S. military base in Wiesbaden, West Germany, for a medical examination and debriefing. He will stay there for up to two weeks, a common practice for newly released hostages, said Paul Luthringer, assistant director of media relations at the White House. Doctors in West Germany said Polhill was malnourished and slightly dehydrated but seemed in good spirits. It would be imprudent to put Polhill on a 12-hour flight after more than three years in captivity without assess ing his health, Luthringer said. West Germany is about halfway between the Middle East and the United States, so it is a logical place to stop, he said. Polhill will also be able to give military-intelligence officers information that will help the hostages still in Beirut. No one knows for sure where the hos tages are, although it is assumed they are near Beirut or in southern Lebanon, and there is even some disagreement about the number of hostages in Leba non, Neumann said. "There are all kinds of hostages (in Lebanon), even Iranian ones," he said, including at least 15 Western hostages, seven of whom are from the United States. Five of the seven are employees of universities in Beirut, and noneis a government official. No Western hos tages have been taken in the last year because Middle Eastern politics have received little publicity lately, he said. Polhill's release has helped change that and may also help gather support for Hezbolla, one of two umbrella or ganizations for Shiite groups in Leba non, said Christopher Van Hollen, vice president of the Middle East Institute. Hezbolla is more left-wing than Amal, the other major Shiite group, he added. The Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine released Polhill but still holds two other Americans, and the five other American hostages are held by two other pro-Iranian groups. These two groups are also members of Hezbolla, and they are related to Shiites being held in Kuwait because of terror ist activities in that country, he said. "The most important development ... is that Syria and Iran hold some influence over the people who are hold ing hostages in Lebanon," Van Hollen said. This shows an interrelationship among the Shiite groups and offers hope that the two nations may help free Hinder Uqvj LYJanagoment wmmmm as m Our Pizza Contains 100 Real Cheese CRUSTY PIZZA sf WE DELIVER! r,. i. I CRUSTY ' pizza (Limited Area - $6.00 minimum) (.25(Z check charge) Serving UNC, Chapel Hill & Carrboro m the remaining hostages, he said. Third parties are important in hos tage negotiations because the United States officially does not negotiate with hostage-takers, Neumann said. "But in effect, so many talks directly and indi rectly ... are taking place," he said, and "when it comes to a real chance, every one talks." Third parties include anyone who seems to have some connections or influence in the Middle East, from governments of nations such as Algeria and Switzerland to individuals Neu mann refused to name. "I know some of the (people involved), ... but this is a delicate matter," he said. The Syrians may have decided to I Glenwood Satiare o t 1 f liarce 1 Shopping Center iRound ftzial Nk" to Hanis TeeKr) ! ff if ! 42,-2,323 ! it is -TZsZ?zi"il EXAL1 WEEK SPECIAL! iSaz5ssi CRUSTY PIZZA 03. 2 Small Pizzas (Round Only) (Cheese & 1 Item) Plus 2 bottles of Coke 79 puis $7 help free Polhill because of a shift in their relationships with the two super powers, Neumann said. "The American-Syrian relationships have become better, and the Soviet Union's support for Syria has left." Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani became involved because he realized Iran's isolation was hurting the country's economy and wanted to gain U.S. support for Iran at the World Bank, Neumann said. Many in Lebanon also favor freeing the hostages because they are no longer an effective political weapon, he said. Even the religious leader of Hezbolla said the hostages should be released, Neumann said. jit dip jrtogtwr IRISH PUB & RESTAURANT FREE MEMBERSHIP! 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Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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April 25, 1990, edition 1
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