European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 11, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse The stars and stripes thursday May 11,1989 Bush wanted North to be exonerated by the los Angeles times Washington president Bush breaking his silence on the Oliver North verdict said tuesday that he had wanted All along to see him exonerated but did not suggest that he would consider a Pardon for the former White House aide. The process is being appealed he said. He s entitled to the right of Appeal without a lot of editorial comment from Bush s comments made in an off hand manner after an interview with reporters in the Oval office referred to North s conviction last thursday on three felony charges in the Iran Contra affair. During the Republican presidential primary Campaign in april 1988, Bush expressed Hopes that North and John m. Poindexter a former National Security adviser would be acquitted of criminal charges stemming from the affair. My Hope my own personal Hope is they arc found innocent of any wrongdoing Bush told re porters during a Stop in new York. The american system after All is innocent until proved North a former Marine lieutenant colonel who had been a top staff official on president Reagan s National Security Council was found guilty of alter ing and destroying top secret documents aiding and abetting the obstruction of Congress and illegally accepting the gift of a $ 13,800 Home Security system. Jurors acquitted him on nine other felony counts principally that he had submitted untruthful letters to Congress on three occasions in 1985 and 1986 and had lied to congressmen in a fact to fact meeting at the White House about his secret efforts to support the nicaraguan contras. Congress at that time had prohibited direct and indirect . Military Aid to the rebel forces under terms of the so called Boland amendment. North is scheduled to be sentenced june 23, and faces a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and $750,000 in fines. Although Bush had declined comment on the ver dict last week he remarked tuesday when the subject was raised As you know i wanted All along to Sec him exonerated. Referring to North s statement that he will Appeal the verdict the president added the matter is now under Appeal and thus i la have nothing More to say about it while it is i m not going to argue with the As the interview broke up Bush was asked you Don t believe in shredding documents do you i believe in taking them with me he replied with a Grin. Guatemala thwarts military coup attempt Guatemala City a troops Loyal to Guatemala s 3-Ycar-old civilian government snuffed out the second at tempted coup in a year by rebellious Mil itary officers tuesday without firing a shot. President Vinicio car co asked guatemalans to remain Calm saying the they reported. In that attempt to marched on turned Back out gut flyers Wert arc std. Gumns of troops la City but were said All but situation is under the control of the gov a two High ranking can mint and the army of Guatemala officers involved in loyalist troops patrol a Street in Guatemala City after the failed coup attempt. Defense minister Alejandro of Finajo i ill excl air Force troops backed by two Hulic Bpwe gunships and.ana-37 War plane a Janof highways on the South and Tott East edges of the Cap ital. Gramajo also tried to March Oak Fly ,. He said the rebels turn crts Wjk when a Superior Forcer boy Alist troops the rebellion was crushed without a shot being fired car co told a news con Ference hours after the uprising. Crezo and Gramajo said the attempt was staged by an air Force tactical unit based at the International Airport South of Guatemala City. It was led by at East 10 current retired or cashiered military officers including several who took part in a failed uprising on May ii 1988, tuesday s plot were in custody. An unspecified number of soldiers was also arrested. Car co said rebels tried to seize radio and to Corez stations to broadcast a communique. He refused to divulge the contents saying it would be used As evidence in military Jib Unal proceedings. Added that civilians apparently were As they were last year. In was Talon White House press Secretary Martin theater voiced Strong continued . Support the government. A state speaking on condition of anonymity Sefc Abc received reports that the real target Maysyc been Gramajo or another minister. Atlantis ret pried in excellent shape 8 Killi Edwards afb., Calif. A the space shuttle Atlantis orbit in excellent shape with Polly about 100 Nicks in its Thermal tiles and scuffed tires from a Crosswind Landing a Nasa official said tuesday of Gusty winds up act 25 Mph blew Sand across Rogers dry Lake As technician worked on Atlantis a Day after Landing. But work was on or ahead of schedule and the shirt tic was expected to be flown Back on saturday. The spaceship looks really Good said Conrad Nagel of the National aeronautics and space administration who is in charge of processing the shuttle. Only 12 of the shuttle s protective Thermal tiles were Likely to need replace ment Nagel said. In comparison after Atlantis pre Vious Mission in december 1988, there were 1,000 Nicks and 162 tiles needed to be replaced. We feel like we re in very very Good shape Nagel said. One window was found to have a Nick measuring .08 Inch in diameter. It was being studied to determine if it could be polished out or would require More extensive repair. Atlantis blasted off thursday fro Mkennedy space Center in Florida and delivered the Magellan probe into probe was then fired onto an 800 million mile trajectory to Venus. The Crew also performed a Metal Crys la ligation Experiment and photographed lightning and pollution on Earth until one of its four operating computers Mal functioned on sunday. The Crew replaced the computer with n spare and landed safely monday. New rocks Das telling Beirut Torrejon from Pago 1 member on the House armed services readiness subcommittee. In addition to the 28 percent contribution the United Stales will have a variety of associated costs to Bear the staff member said. A major chunk of those costs involves housing. Although nato initially is financing the Cost of housing at Croton the United states has agreed to pay Back the Money Over 10 years at a Cost of More than $ 180 million. Additionally the United states plans to invest $19 million in recreation build Ings at the italian base As Well As $8 Mil lion to relocate 16th air Force he to Italy. Leaving Torrejon also will mean Relo Cating Torr Jon s military Airlift come terminal to Rota Spain at a Cost of $10 million. . Communications units at the base also will relocate elsewhere in Spain at a Cost of about $14 million the staffer said. Finally 700 Spanish w9rkers at the base will share about $ 12 million in seve Rance pay. Along with other costs of moving the 72 aircraft and about 4,000 service members at Torr Jon the . Share of the move is running to about $900 Mil lion to a billion dollars the staffer said. During monday s hearing Dixon was especially angered by the Severance pay. They kick us out and we give them Severance pay he asked army it. Gen. Edwin s. Leland jr., chief of staff of the . European come with Headquarters in Stuttgart West Germany. When Leland confirmed the Severance payments Dixon said no wonder the folks Back Home Tell us we re crazy. We re the worst negotiators in the Leland noted that there is a Good Chance the Severance Cost would be less because the Spanish government will try to find other jobs for the workers. Beirut Laban co a shells hit hospitals apartment Post offices and communications Fali lilies tuesday in one of the most destructive artillery duels of the 14-Ycar-Ald civil War killing eight people and wounding 33. The Savage bombard mint by syrian gunners and Christi keyed the moslem a of Beirut nearby i Christian coast North by police count 3 killed and 1,217 Wou when fighting began Oldi army units Blan Christian sectors and a stretch of f the City. People have been de since March 8, the 20,000 handed by Gen. Moslem Alliance of ruse militiamen. Have been civil Christian soldiers Michel Aoun and a syrian troops an most of the casualties ians. Sheik Sabah Ahmed foreign minister of Kuwait and head of an Arab league mediation panel said plans to Send Arab military observers to Beirut had Bee suspended until another cease fire could be arranged. One called by the league april 28 was broken by the latest Battle. Beirut residents took Refuge in under ground shelters fora fourth Day
