European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes soviet police continue in by Elizabeth Shogren the los Angeles times Moscow a soviet Interior ministry troops stormed the customs office at the Airport in the lithuanian capital of Vilnius on saturday the latest in a string of violent attacks that have raised tensions Between the Kremlin and All three of the Baltic republics in the last few months. During that time soviet Security forces and pro Krum Lin civilians ransacked and burned dozens of customs checkpoints in Latvia and Estoni Ayas Well As in Lithuania. The customs posts which have been declared illegal by soviet authorities Are symbols of the Small republics ongoing Campaign to become independ6nt from Moscow. Lithuania began building its own Border posts after proclaiming Independence last year and the other two followed their Lead this year. In saturdays attack the Interior ministry forces called a Black berets because of their headgear forced lithuanian customs officials out of their office confiscated Stamps keys and documents locked the doors and told the lithuanian customs officers never to return to work. A r a it was a direct threat a said vitauts Patonis an official at the lithuanian Interior ministry. A these Black berets say they Are fulfilling a decree of soviet president Mikhail is Gorbachev to liquidate these customs facilities.�?�. A a in the course of the Kremlin crackdown on the facilities As Many As eight Border posts in one night were destroyed by Black berets according to Baltic officials. The troops Are special soviet Interior ministry units trained to combat organized crime. A every two or three Days they Burn Down another Border Post a Patonis said. A a it a a deliberate attempt to create a tense situation. On our own we can to do anything to Stop them Quot and although we continually inform the authorities in Moscow they take absolutely no  two customs checkpoints one on each Side of the latvian lithuanian Border were attacked and burned Down Friday night by four armed men three attired in military uniforms Patonis said. A grenade was set off in the latvian facility to destroy it. No one has been Hurt in these most recent attacks. World 400 chinese killed by rain triggered floods from wire reports Beijing a flooding caused by a month of heavy rainfall in China has killed More than 400 people the official China daily has reported. Nanhwei province has been hit by continuous torrential rainfall since May 18, and two thirds of the province has recorded More than 12 inches of rain the newspaper said saturday. The rain which in some areas has exceeded 20 inches broke a 70. Year old provincial record earlier reports said. Dog sets off Shotgun Brussels Belgium a dog knocked into a loaded Shotgun setting off the weapon and killing his master a belgian newspaper has reported. The daily vers la Avenir said saturday that the French Spaniel jumped onto the Back seat of a jeep where his master had left the gun and set the weapon off. Jean Guillaume 66, was struck in the Back and Clied on the spot the newspaper said. $ frees 89 inmates during Muslim Holiday Meg id do Israel a Israel freed 89 palestinians from prisons in Northern Israel and the Southern Negev desert on sunday the first of at least 300 prisoners expected to be released for the Muslim feast of eid Al aha. Eighty men from the occupied Gaza strip were freed from a etzion prison in the Negev and nine from the West Bank were released from Megiddo prison israeli military officials said. One prisoner from a etzion said some palestinians being freed held up copies of the Koran the Muslim holy Book As they left prison to symbolize their struggle against israelis occupation. The prisoners from a etzion were taken away in two buses. But most of those freed from Megiddo were forced to walk the 11 Miles to Jenin the nearest town in the occupied West Bank. No transportation was arranged and the prisoners Anulies were not told of their expected release. One Man released from Megiddo who a ret used to give his name said the prisoners were not provided with any Money to help them make their Way Home. As they left Megiddo the palestinians asked journalists for matches because they had been Given cigarettes but no matches. A an announcement last week that prisoners were to be freed renewed speculation that the release could be the first step in a widespread Exchange involving Western hostages and israeli soldiers missing in Lebanon. But israeli officials have stressed this was not the Case. Israeli officials have said those to be freed Are mostly people who Are nearing the end of their sentences for offences committed in the 42-month palestinian uprising against the occupation. The officials said the releases this week Are being made As a traditional gesture for the Muslim feast which Marks Abrahams offer to sacrifice his son to god. The a etzion prisoners were told 80 More palestinians would be released late from the desert Camp. It was not Clear when other prisoners would be released. Last year the army announced in and Vanee that it would free hundreds of prisoners for the Holiday but never made Public How Many were released. As of last week the army held 9,492 Arab Security prisoners. Of these 4,746 had been convicted and 634 were held under emergency regulations that allow up to a years imprisonment without charge or trial. The others were awaiting charges or Tria Hashem Abu Manee 25, from Gaza City said lie was in a etzion for 18 months and was released 24 Days ahead of sch cd. Ule. A a. A Quot a a it is Only an attractive move for the Media and nothing More a he said. Mohammed Abdul Fattah Hassan 19, from the Gaza strips Nus Seurat refugee Camp recounted How prisoners with copies of the Koran raised them As they left a etzion. A it Means we insist on continuing on the Road of struggle a he said. M a winds up visiting Holland capping kuwaiti Oil Well Veteran Oil Well firefighter red Adair aided by a member of his team attempts to Cap the a Ahmadi 6�?� Oil Well sunday. The 76-year old texan has criticized the kuwaiti government for hampering operations to extinguish Oil fires started by iraqi troops during the kingdoms occupation. Adair said that if firefighting teams Don t get kuwaiti cooperation it could take four years to Cap the Wells and put out All the fires. London apr a Rookie helicopter Pilot mistakenly flew from England to the Netherlands figuring out he was in the wrong country Only after buzzing an expressway. Ian Muir who got his Pilot s License tuesday had planned Friday to make a 100-mile trip inside England. Instead he said his navigation equipment became faulty. So he decided to turn around and go Home. He said saturday that he had gotten confused and flew the Robinson r22 Beta East across the North sea unable to see anything because of bad weather and thick Cloud cover. He said he did no to know where he was and flew Low to see the expressway signs. A i saw one that said Rotterdam and it explained to me Why the cars were driving on the wrong Side of the Road a said Muir 30. V eventually he landed in a filling stations parking area near the dutch Village of Pic Nacker just East of Delft 225 Miles from his starting Point. A police officer flew with him to nearby Rotterdam Airport where the runway lights were switched on for him. �?�1 feel a bit silly a Muir said before taking a ferry Back to England and hiring a professional Pilot to return the helicopter