European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 18, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Paga 24 the stars and stripes thursday May 18,1989 Hamadi should have been tried Hamadi in ., Stethem s parents say Frankfurt. West Germany is convicted Hijacker Mohammed All Hamadi. Sentenced to life in prison by Agerman court wednesday should have been extradited to the United states to stand trial said the parents of the  Navy diver murdered during the 1985 hijacking. Hamadi could have received the death Penally in the United states. Life imprisonment is the maximum penalty under German Law. Hamadi hijacked an american air Craft with the majority of passengers being american. American passengers were brutally beaten robbed and Mur dered. For those cowardly acts against americans Hamadi should have been extradited and tried in our courts Rich Ard and Patricia Stethem said. The Ste thums parents of 23-year-old Petty officer 2nd class Robert Dean sle them never missed a session during the 10-month trial because. As parents of Robert we Felt that he deserved representation. We intended our presence to be a constant reminder of  Robert Stethem a passenger aboard Twa right 8-17 in june 1985, was killed by the hijackers after the plane was forced to land in Beirut. Lebanon. The Ste thums. Who refused to discuss the Case during the trial submitted writ ten answers to questions from the stars and stripes following Hamadi s conviction. In a separate statement read to report ers after the trial the set hems indicated they were disappointed that Hamadi could not receive the death penalty under West German Law. Our family maintains Mohammed Ali Hamadi deserves punish sent More  Richard Stethem said. He also warned against a possible political com mutation of his sentence in the  we mention this because the thought of such a release is painful for us to think of. Any commutation of Hamadi s sen tence would be a pure mockery of jus Tice the associated press quoted Rich Ard St them As saying. Concerned that kidnappings or other types of blackmail might Lead West German authorities to release Hamadi Early Richard Stethem said we would Hope any release would result in a Public outcry by German and american citizens alike and would cause people to express outrage against this Type of political in  would expect our present administration. Stale department department of Justice and Congress to Monitor the fulfilment of this sentence and to ensure it is completely  Richard St them said in a conference room at the Frankfurt prison where the trial was held. In their responses to the stars and stripes the St them described Hamadi. A lebanese shiite moslem As a member of the Hezbollah or the party of god. This is a Small Radical group that does the hijackings kidnappings and murder for Iran. This group is not a religious or political group but in reality is a group of criminals. This is the same group thai is destroying Lebanon  although the Ste thums described the trial process As thorough they also indicated that Loo much time was taken in Between court sessions. The wheels of Justice turn much slower Here than in our country. Between july 5. 1988, and today May 17, 1989, we have Only had 65 court Days in a Span of if  from Page 1 the victim. He was an Active member of he hol Lah the judge said referring to the pro iranian shiite moslem believed to be holding Western hostages in Lebanon. Hezbollah fights against the United slates and Israel with  Hamadi had testified that the Hijack ing intended to Force the release of Leb anese moslem imprisoned in Israel. Shortly after the ordeal Israel released about 700 such prisoners. The judge rejected Hamadi s assertion that he was not a Hezbollah member and said the defendent identified with its Aims of terrorism and  Hamadi was described by dozens of former passengers As one of iwo hijackers who brutally beat Sec them. He claimed that his accomplice who remains at Large pulled the trigger. Court records identify the accomplice As Hassan Ezz cd Dine. Witnesses said they did not Sec the actual shooting which the Crew testified took place behind the cockpit Bulkhead out of the View of passengers inside the Boeing 727.  said that while the court could not determine whether Ham Adi murdered Stethem the defendant played an Active role in preparing and carrying in  March More than 1 million chinese protesters crowd the streets blocking traffic on wednesday in by Jinx. From Page 1 was the biggest of the pro democracy rallies that have embarrassed the government during Mikhail s. Gorba Chev s historic visit and forced major changes in his  proles on wednesday was dominated for the first Lime by workers Raiher than students. The March began in Central Tiana men Square the site of the hunger strike to the sound of firecrackers set Olf under the huge poster of Mao tsp Tung at the Entrance to the former Imperial Palace. Protesters draped banners from the Rostrum Over the Gale where Mao declared the founding of the people s Republic on oct. I 1949. Many banners called for the retirement of 84-year-old senior Leader Deng Xiaoping and the resignation of Premier i Peng. Fifty taxis stuffed with Flag waving passengers led a procession of workers journalists government employees and even soldiers. Smaller marches headed outward from the Square China s symbolic Center of Power while More people streamed on bicycle and foot toward the Square which has been clogged for four Days by protesters. Most streets in the Center of this City of 10 million people were clogged. Police made no Effort to inter Vene and few were seen on the streets. Similar demonstrations grew in size wednesday in Shanghai where Gorbachev is scheduled to Fly. Asia from Page 1 some 600.000 troops along the chinese Border. The chinese armed with less modern equipment have More than i million troops stationed there. Gorbachev said i Lair Force regiments would be disbanded and 16 warships would be removed from the Pacific Fleet he added that the soviet Union is pre pared to withdraw military units and armaments from Border areas leaving Only a contingent of Border guards. The two sides fought a Brief Border War Over the disputed Frontier in 1969, and sporadic clashes have continued Over the years. But tensions have slowly cased As relations Between the two coun tries warmed during the 1980s. Gorbachev also expressed support for North korean peace initiatives and said reunification obviously requires Defus ing tensions on the Peninsula and the withdrawal of  Troops. Any arguments in favor of continued presence of those troops in the Region have Long ceased to be  about 43,000  Troops arc in South Korea under a Mutual defense treaty. The korean Peninsula has been divided since world War 11. Chinese troops helped communist North Korea fight pro Western South Korea in 1950-53. On monday the Day Gorbachev arrived in Beijing Moscow began pulling troops out of Mongolia the soviet ally squeezed Between the soviet Union and China along China s Northern Border. Senior Leader Deng Xiaoping head of the chinese military has reduced the peo ple s liberation army from More than 4 million in 1985 to about 3 million. Panama from Page 1 until replacements Are  re calling this a hastened withdrawal Skinner said. An evacuation is mandatory. This is not Manda tory. It is not an emergency. It is  Skinner said the withdrawal was primarily because of concerns regarding the current Uncertain silk anon in Panama a concern that s been accentuated by the recent harassment of  Personnel in the violent Al Termath of the panamanian presidential elections. He said there Are an estimated 3,300 military personnel and dependents being urged to move. There Are about 14,000 military dependents in Panama. Among those arriving tuesday were army sgt. Ray mond Johnson his wife daughter and son. Being a family Man i Felt it would be safer to have my family Here said Johnson Ofel paso Texas. Johnson said members of the panamanian defense Force often harassed americans stopping them on the streets and sometimes asking for Money. Army staff sgt. Donald Bell of Dallas who returned following three years in Panama said such harassment gets common Afler a while. It s not physical harassment. It s Small  Gloria Keener whose husband s air Force tour in Panama ends next month said she was notified about three Days ago of the flight to Charleston. Everything was  she said. But people arc getting scared because they Don t know what s going