European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes thursday september 15,1988 Hamadi says 1 was not the Leader. Frankfurt West Germany a Moham Mcd Ali Hamadi denied wednesday that he was the Leader of a terrorist group that hijacked a Twa jul in1985, but he did not respond to testimony thai he gloated after a . Navy diver was killed. Hamadi a lebanese shiite moslem is accused or murder and air piracy in he hijacking in which . Navy diver Robert set him was killed and 39 Ameri cans were held captive for 17 Days the testimony very often deviates far from the truth Hamadi told the court wednesday. The Athens to Rome night was hijacked by two men june 14, 1985. It was first diverted to Beirut then la Algeria and then Back to Beirut. Hamadi said a third commando joined the terrorists during the second Slop at Beirut. On tuesday flight Engineer Benjamin Zimmer Man to described How Hamadi pointed with Pride to bloodstains or the slain . Hostage. Throughout the trial the judge has asked Hamad if he wishes to comment on the testimony. Although the defendant did so wednesday he declined to say any thing about Zimmermann s comment on the blood stains. Earlier in the trial Pilot John Testrake identified Hamadi As the Hijacker who shot so chem to death and testified that Hamadi was the terror operation s Leader. I was not the Leader of the commandos Hamadi said wednesday. The one who gave us the orders came on Board after Beirut two and took Over the command Hama i said referring to the second time the plane landed in Lebanon. He declined to provide the Man s name. Hamadi said the Man spoke English Well and came on the plane with amal Mitilia in Beirut after St them was shot. Witnesses have testified that the situation became More relaxed on Board the plane after the amal militia arrived. Negotiations with the terrorists also improved members of the flight Crew said. Chief judge hairier muck Enberger asked Hamadi Are you sure he was the one who gave the order to Hijack he air plane yes Hamadi replied in German. Hamadi also told the court that hand grenades car ried by the hijackers had been defused. We were worried that someone would make a wrong move cause the grenades to fall and explode and crash the plane Hamadi said. We did t gel on Board to blow up the plane in  the defendant did not say anything about Zimmer Mann s testimony that Hamadi had gloated Over the killing of Stela pm. He also did not say anything about who killed St them. However in testimony aug. 9, he vehemently denied that he had shot St them. After a Short defense requested recess Hamadi re turned and Lold he court he had Only intended to make a statement and was not prepared to answer any further  in other testimony wednesday Fri agent Gary Noesner said his Agency opened its investigation the Day the hijacking  he said that the Fri had assembled substantial Evi Dence in the Case but that much of it was not released for Security reasons. Noesner added that essential evidence hid Bee Given lowest German investigators. We of course identified Mohammed Hamad As being one of the hijackers Nosner said. He added that the two other suspects who Are still at Large had also been identified and charged in the United slate. He said Hamadi had been identified by pictures and other sources 1 cannot  but Nosner told the court that fingerprints found on the Twa Airliner during the investigation were no Hamadi v he said thai the plane was in poor condition and that attempts had been made to clean it apparently to get rid of fingerprints and other evidence. Ship re floated offer running aground in Norway by Randy Mcclain staff writer a . Lank Landing ship that ran a round off the coast of Norway was re floated Early wednesday with the help of three tugboats but a final assessment of damage to the vessel was hampered by High winds and rough seas according loan Allied spokesman. The Boulder an 8,450-ton Navy re serve ship participating in nato teamwork by training exercise hit the rocks in the Vicinity of the Island of Freya in the norwegian sea Early tues Day mom ing. The Boulder was re floated at 1 35 . Wednesday. It anchored for several hours just East of the fishing Village of Kristiansand Norway but late wednes Day inclement weather forced it to get under Way. The Allied press information Center in Norway reported the Boulder was heading toward St. Joe fjord and divers would be sent Down to inspect the ship once the weather cleared. Air Force maj. John e. Peters . Spokesman at the Center said initial re ports indicated the Boulder suffered Only minimal damage. But he said it will not return to the teamwork 88 exercise until a More detailed Check of its Condi Tion can be made news update Morton Thi Okol suit Seattle a two safety consultants sued Morton Thi Okol inc., claiming they were fired for attempting to inform Nasa about problems involving solid fuel rocket motors after the destruction of the space shuttle challenger. Steven Agee of Renton wash., and Anthony Laine of Phoenix filed separate suits monday in Federal court in Chicago seeking unspecified damages the suits allege wrongful termination defamation and Viola lion of Federal racketeering Laws. Both men were hired As sys tems safety analysts for the Booster redesign program created after the january 1986 explosion that killed challenger s seven astronauts. The Accident was blamed on a faulty Seal in a Booster rocket. Correction an associated press article saturday concerning a Battle memorial at Salerno Italy was incorrect. The Monument Cost $44,000, not �250,000. And none of the Money was donated by the american Battle Monu ments commission. The article also incorrectly stated that the 36th inf div was the first . Divi Sion to invade nazi held Europe. It wits the first . Division to invade nazi held Mainland Europe teamwork 88, part of nato s autumn forge exercises involves 45,000 sailors 200 warships and 340 aircraft from nine nations. Peters said the 290-Membcr Crew of the Boulder remained on Board during its re floating. Initially Peters said 200crew members had transferred to other ships but later information made Clear that the Crew stayed with the ship. The Boulder s cargo of tanks engineering equipment and other heavy vehicles was transferred to the Nassau a 39,300-ton amphibious assault ship. Peters said the cause of the Boulder s grounding has not Yel been determined. When the ship hit the rocks Early tuesday morning 1.000 Gallons of Diosel fuel spilled into the norwegian sea. The fuel was cleaned up within seven hours and no other spills occurred during the re floating operation Peters said. In a separate incident tuesday afternoon the West hinder a 2,430-ton Bel Gian frigate ran aground on a reef with 160 Crew member on Board the ship suffered damage to one of its axles and propellers and took on water in its engine room the associated press reported. The West hinder the sixth ship to suffer a mishap during teamwork by was not expected to return to the exercise army plans to require graduation from key courses for 2 no ranks by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington the army plans to make graduation from key no education system courses a requirement for promo Tion to sergeant and sergeant first class. Beginning oct i 1989, soldiers will need a primary leadership development course diploma to be promoted to sergeant. Starling oct. I 1990, soldiers must be graduates of the Basic no course to be promoted to sergeant first class. Army chief of staff Gen. Carl e. Vuono approved the changes sept. 7. The concept of linking graduation from the courses to promotions was established in 1985 by an army study group. The Long term goal was to require the appropriate level of no education system completion for promotion to sergeant through sergeant first class Vuono said in a message announcing in policy. Several Steps in the Chain already Are in place. The primary course already is a requirement for promotion to staff ser Geant while the advanced no course is mandatory for promotion to master ser Geant. Senior cos must be graduates of the sergeants major Academy for appointment to positions As command sergeants major. The army is studying a related change thai would upgrade the requirement for promotion to staff sergeant from the Pri Mary leadership course to the Baste no course. Also being considered is upgrading the requirement for promotion to sergeant first class from the Basic course to the advanced course. Implementation of the new promotion requirements for sergeant and sergeant first class have been delayed to give sol Diers enough time to attend required courses Vuono s message said. Cafes and cafes Europe get new leaders Dallas is Brig. Gen Jeffrey d. Kahla assumed command of the army and air Force Exchange service a ceremonies last week. In another change Brig. Gen. Joseph t. Ellis commander of cafes Europe in Munich West German will become vice commander of the Exchange serv ice s Dallas Headquarters on oct. 24. Brig. Gen. Thomas w. Robison Dep Uty commander of . Army Japan an Dix corns will assume command of cafes Europe oct 17. Kahla vice commander of the Exchange service Headquarters since july 1985, has to extensive background in data processing and logistics. He re placed maj. Gen. John e. Long who has taken Over As commander of the army troop support Agency in St. Louii. Long who spent six years at the Dallas Headquarters As vice commander an commander of the Exchange service oversaw the establishment of credit card service in exchanges and construction of More than 100 on base Burger King res Taranu. Norstad 1 St nato Boss from Usan Dies Tucson Ariz. A Lauris Norblad a retired air Force Genera and the first member of the at Force to serve As commander of nato forces in Western Europe died monday of cardiac arrest. He was is. Promoted to brigadier Genera in 1943, Roistad was involved in planning for the Allied invasion of North Africa and went ashore with the assault forces earning a Silver Star for gallantry. Gen. Dwight d. Eisenhower then army chief of staff appointed Norsula director of plans and operations after world War ii. Later when Eisenhower was head of the North Atlantic treaty organization he made him his leading air commander. Norstad was promoted to four Star general in 1952, in 1956, he was appointed supreme commander of Allied forces in Western Europe becoming the first air Force Man to head the 15-nation Nat forces