European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - December 24, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 news updates the stars and stripes saturday december 24,1988 hostages wives Beirut Lebanon a the Wivi s of three . Teachers held by pro iranian kidnappers in Bei rut gave Christmas greetings thursday to their husbands through local radio stations. Dear Robert Alann and John we miss you we love you and we arc Here awaiting your release said a message broadcast in English by inc voice of Lebanon radio station. The message was addressed to Robert Polhill 55, originally of new York Alann Olcen 48, of Arcata Calif. And Jesse Turner 41, of Boise Idaho. The three were kidnapped Jan.24, 1987, from the .-altilialed Beirut University College where they were teachers. A group calling itself islamic jihad for the liberation of pales Tine has claimed to be holding them hostage. Dali Falls ill Figueras Spain Impi surrealist Painter Salvador Dali was recovering in intensive care from internal Cmor raging Fri Day doctors said. The 84-year-old artist was rushed to the Figueras Hospital late thursday Atler suffering a stomach Haemorrhage. Doctors said that Dali s Condi Tion was reserved and that he would remain in Obs Valion at the Hospital for three or four Days. They said he was very weak Fol lowing a Boul of pneumonia last month that was followed by heart and lung complications. Duli returned to his native Fig eras 475 Miles Northeast of the Spanish capital of Madrid dec. 14 after spending nearly three weeks in an intensive care unit at a bar Celona Dinic. Van Gogh painting Perth Australia a Busi. Ness tycoon Alan Bond Friday revealed he bought the world s most valuable painting Vincent Van Gogh s irises but he said he kept Lite Purchase secret for a year because he had nowhere to hang it. The painting was sold at a so theby s auction in new York in november 1987 for a record js3.9  said he kept the picture under wraps until he found a place secure enough to satisfy insurers. News reports said Bond who has extensive Media and brewery interests spent the past year build ing a High Security Art gallery in Perth. Bond who won the a Myrica s cup Challenge in 1953. Displayed the painting to reporters on the 49lh floor of the r and i Tower the City s tallest High Rise. Since the Purchase Bond said he had received offers for the masterpiece significantly in excess of what he paid for it. Irises was done in 1889 Dur ing Van Gogh s stay in a French Asylum. Judge clears Way for calling Berri to testify in Hamadi trial  writer Frankfurt West Germany lebanese minister of Justice Nabih Barri May be called As a witness at inc trial of confessed Hijacker Mohammed Ali Ham Adi the court decided Friday. Hamadi is charged with murder and air piracy in connection with the Hijack ing of Twa flight 847, which was commandeered after leaving Athens Airport in Greece and diverted to Beirut Leb anon in june i9s5. . Navy diver Robert Secl him was shot and killed by the hijackers during the ordeal and 39 american were held hostage for 17 Days. Hamadi admits he was one of the hijackers but denies kill ing St chem. Hamadi has held that Berri can support his claim that president Reagan promised clemency for those involved in the Hijack i no and murder. Chief judge a cinch milk  said that due to the civil War Situa Tion in Lebanon it was not possible to reach Bern through formal channels. He said an attempt would be made through the West German embassy in Lebanon to reach Bern through other Means however  said any promises by the american government would have no bearing on the trial in Germany. Hamadi is being tried in accordance with International Law. Any other agreement can be construed As being made under duress Mac Icenberger Saio. The judge denied a defense motion to summon testimony from syrian presi Dent Hafez Al Assad saying that while the president knew of the hijacking we fail to see How such testimony would add to our knowledge of this   said Hamadi would continue to undergo thorough psychological tests during the Christmas recess.  said the court also in tends to invite testimony from Richard Young Moon an american doctor who was scaled next to St them. We intend to ask or. Moon to testify. We Don t know when it will be but we Hope he comes much Kunberger said. About two dozen americans who were passengers or Crew members have Testi fied in the Case since the trial began nearly six months ago. They have Given sometimes graphic accounts of How Hamadi and the other Hijacker identified As Hassan Ezic dding beat St them and other passengers. The trial is scheduled to resume Jan. 17. Job of identifying victims requires exactitude medical examiner says b  Nymberg Bureau Bamberg West Germany identifying the victims of a major air disaster is a laborious painstaking meticulous process a top military medical examiner says. Or. Steven s. Sohn a Navy Captain from the armed forces Institute of pathology was on inc team that identified the remains of the 258 victims of the dec. 12, 1985, crash of a dc in Gan Der Newfoundland. The plane filled with 101st airborne div soldiers returning Home for Christmas from peacekeeping duty in the Middle East crashed and exploded after Takeoff from a refuelling Slop. Victim identification is a systematic process where nothing is taken for granted Sohn told the stars and stripes. When a jetliner goes Down thousands of Gallons of fuel can ignite burning the victims beyond recognition. Personal property the things people keep in their pocket or Wear As jewelry is ruled out Sohn said because such items can be easily exchanged or traded. In the Gander crash where nearly All the victims were soldiers even dog tags could not be used for a positive identification he said instead specialists used a rays checked fingerprints studied dental records and performed autopsies. Dentists Fri agents and even archaeologists Are called in to add their exper Tise. ,-., -.-., in the Case of an air plane trash Sohn said the identification processing site May be located in a gym or a Church not the Ideal situation.". Sometimes too the Itle May need Tobe covered or camouflaged to protect it from the elements and the prying eyes of the Public and the Media he said. Rescuers and volunteers also need Tobe looked after. At Gander Sohn said some of the kids had never Ken a dead body before. You have to know How to counsel  said some volunteers later showed symptom a Smilar in the Post traumatic stress syndrome of Veteran returning from combat. Bush s relatives to deliver Aid to Armenia Washington a president elect Bush s son and grandson will travel to soviet Armenia on Christmas Day to help distribute american Aid to earthquake Vic Tims Bush s office confirmed Friday. In Moscow soviet foreign ministry spokesman Gennady i. Gerasimov told the official Tass news Leoncy that John e. Bush and George p. Bush will participate in a ceremony of transferring to Armenia Relief Aid from the United  Bush 35, a Miami real estate Developer and his son George 12, will spend about six hours in Yerevan the armenian capital on Christmas Day said the transition office. They leave new York on saturday arriving in the soviet Union on Christmas morning. The Bushes Are travelling to Armenia As volunteers for americans a Relief Agency that has chartered a dc cargo plane to transport supplies to the Region. The Aid Wilt include Medicine medi Cal equipment and toys from the Ameri cans Charity for children who survived the dec 7 quake which killed at least 55,000 people Tass said. Steve Norman an Amer cares spokes Man said the Bushes Are among three people on the flight Norman said the Bushes will Only stay a few hours because of time restrictions imposed by the soviets. They Are riot allowing people to stay much longer than that because of congestion Al the air port he said Christmas Maii y6lume climbs 10% Kaiserslautern West Germany is Christmas mail volume be tween . Post offices in Europe and the United Stales is running at least 10 percent higher than last year an air Force postal official said thursday. Much of the increased volume apparently was caused by Catalon purchases made by . Personnel assigned Over seas who were looking to get the most from the Dollar s ragging buying Power. Said it. Col. James r. Woolcy com Mander of the 7025uy air postal so at Kapaun air station. Catalon bought gifts May be among the Avalanche of mail that arrived Friday in West Germany on a flying tigers flight from new York. The flight described by one postal official As kind of out of  carried at least 100,000 pounds of mail headed for postal patrons assigned in . Military installations in West Germany. The late arriving shipment is an Addi Tion to mail arriving on regularly scheduled flights. " ". To ensure Christmas delivery of As Many gifts and cards As possible All at Force Post offices in Europe Mil stay open for parcel pickups until at least 7 . Christmas eve. Some May extend their hours further Woolcy said citing one Post office plans to stay open until 11 . Clarification an article in yesterday s paper May have Given the impression that 1st army div chief of staff col. Laity Jordan it erred to the non commissioned offi cers association As a military lobbying organization. / i although the Coa is a lobbying group Jordan did not refer to it As such. Cup Fulda West Germany is a 6-Weck-old baby died from severe head injuries after being briefly left alone with three  in a Soldier s off Post apartment a Community spokeswoman said Friday. The child was injured dec. 16 when the Mother went downstairs to a Laun dry room leaving the infant ind three other children Ages 4, 3 and 8, alone in a Friend s apartment re Nat Leiber said. /-. When the Mother returned 15 minutes later she discovered the baby crying determined the child had suffered a head injury and rushed her to a Fulda City Hospital. The infant was pronounced dead at 6 24 . The following morning. The rooter is the wife of a Soldier assigned to Maint troop combat sup port so 1 Ullh army Cav regt in Fulda . Military and German police Are investigating whether criminal. Negligence was involved in the incident