European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes saturday july 20, 1991 j Quot at a glance the tradition of Large families is losing popularity in Italy. Sec Page 14. America needs a workout we re buckling up More now and doing less drinking and driving. But we re still not exercising enough an annual Survey of american health habits shows. A Page 4 Thomas abortion stand supreme court nominee Clarence Thomas support for Quot natural Law Quot does not mean he opposes abortion rights his chief Senate supporter says. A Page 6 Epa targets Gas stations the Epa orders the nation s major Oil companies to Stop their service stations from dumping motor Oil into ground Wells and septic systems and conduct what May be a $40 to $90 million cleanup a Page 7 a sacred Mountain the head of an Apache activist group has to come to Germany to plead her Case against an Observatory on Indian land in Arizona. A Page 10 done to worry about Mutual service members with uniformed services Benefit association insurance policies can be reassured by the news this week that new Jersey state regulators have taken control of financially troubled Mutual Benefit which underwrites the policies says the associations president. A Page 17 Index Abby Ann Landers. 19 action line. 16 comics. 19-21 commentary. 13 crossword. 19 letters. 12 Money matters. 17 sports. 22-28 to listings. .27 weather. 11 top German leaders to discuss threat to hostages Bonn Germany apr Germany called an emergency meeting Friday of government officials to study the latest threat against Western hostages in Lebanon but strongly rejected allegations that two shiites in German prisons were being mistreated. Representatives from the foreign Interior and Justice ministries gathered at the foreign ministry in the capital Friday afternoon to discuss a statement released thursday in Beirut warning of a grave consequences if Germany did not release the Brothers Mohammed and Abbas Hamadi. An arabic language statement by islamic jihad or islamic holy War accused the German government of subjecting the Hamadi Brothers to a deliberate murder attempts in addition to various forms of physical and mental  a the continuation of the maltreatment of our struggling Brothers will have grave consequences Quot the statement said. A it is imperative that action be taken at once to preserve their lives and release them  the statement delivered to the Beirut office of a Western news Agency was accompanied by a picture of american hostage Terry Anderson. Willi Fundermann spokesman for Germany a Federal criminal police said Friday that the government a is taking measures. Against those threats a but refused to be More specific. Police in the state of Saarland where Abbas Hamadi is imprisoned said officials had stepped up Security because of the threats. They did not elaborate. On monday police said Abbas Hamadi had been stabbed during a prison fight with another inmate. Hamadi a wounds were not serious police said. A we have information from our local judicial authorities that this incident has no political background and that its obviously due to personal disagreements Between prisoners a a foreign ministry spokeswoman said Friday. A the life of Hamadi was never in  she spoke on condition her name not be used. A in addition to All we did in the past the local authorities will of course see to it that nothing of that sort will happen again. They will do their utmost to avoid this a the spokeswoman said. But she added that Germany rejected islamic jihad a allegations  the islamic jihad statement came one Day after the German supreme court upheld the murder conviction of Mohammed Hamadi who is serving a life sentence for killing a . Serviceman during a 1985 hijacking. Mohammed Hamadi 26, was convicted by a Frankfurt court in May 1989 of killing . Navy Sailor Robert Stethem after a Twa flight from Athens to Rome was hijacked to Beirut. Hamadi solder brother Abbas was arrested in Frankfurt in 1987 on a return flight from Beirut on charges of kidnapping two germans allegedly to gain his brother a release from custody. He was later tried and sentenced to 13 years in prison. Anderson chief Middle East correspondent for the associated press is the longest held Western hostage. He was kidnapped on March 16,1985. Panel from Page 1 Congress authorized the creation of the safety net. The explanatory report accompanying the Bill bluntly criticizes the Pentagon so foot dragging on devising eligibility rules for involuntary separation benefits. Christopher Jehn the Pentagon a Man Ower chief approved Overall guidelines or transition benefits and separation pay on june 20. But the services Are now in the midst of a 60-Day period during which they Are pc devising detailed implementing instructions. That Means separation pay will not begin to flow until August or september at the earliest. A a they re not going to like this report in the Pentagon but we have no Choice a a committee staffer said. A a they re asleep at the switch Over there. They have people getting out now who Are eligible for these benefits and they can to get them. A a there a a continued absence of leadership from Dod on these issues and its totally  Pentagon officials cite two reasons for the delays. One involved a lengthy and often heated internal debate among the services Over who would be eligible for separation pay. At Issue was a policy of giving a half shares of separation pay to various categories of personnel such As those discharged for being overweight or homosexual. The other Factor was the persian Gulf War which saw the use of a Stop loss policies by All the services to delay Sepa rations and retirements for the duration of the conflict. A the War put everything else on the Back Burner a one Pentagon official said. The Senate committee Bill a personnel vision must be agreed to by the House before it could become part of the final version of the defense authorization Bill. E Europe from Page 1 scheduled to move elsewhere in Europe Moore said. Those service members scheduled to move because of a base closure or draw Down and those making humanitarian and exceptional family member program moves will not be delayed Moore said. Other exceptions would include airmen on assignment to or from the Philippines and from Hahn a Germany. Hann is ending its flying Mission later this year. Some members will have their assignments cancelled and immediately reinstated with new reporting instructions. In some cases new assignments May be made. The updated information for assignments should be received by the affected members in about a week the message said. Those who Are retiring or separating from the air Force will return As scheduled. Exemptions also will be granted for those scheduled to attend training schools in conjunction with their move the message said. Hardship requests will require written justification Tom said adding that a nothing has been decided As to what constitutes  also All officers affected by the involuntary extensions will have their cases reviewed on an individual basis by the air Force. Early return of dependents will be allowed. For those families with tickets in hand they have the option to Send the dependents As scheduled according to Lakenheath personnel offices but no family separation allowance can be claimed because deciding to return dependents Early is a a a personal decision. Sgt. Ron and senior airman Cindy Mason both assigned to Lakenheath and scheduled to leave sept. 1 for the United states took the announcement in stride. A a it a not that big a problem a Ron Mason said of the involuntary Extension. A a couple of More weeks after four years Isnit going to  a a we re not going to have As Many problems As those leaving in August. Billeting might be a problem a said his wife who works in billeting. Bush t from Page 1 Lute you a a he said. A Day after Day Souda Bay was called upon to keep the Supply lines moving. And Day after Day Souda Bay did its duty with distinction a the president said in recognizing one of the major Supply facilities for the persian Gulf War. To show his appreciation for Greece a wartime contribution the president announced that the United states was leasing two . Frigates to Greece stepping up delivery on 10 f-4e fighter planes and transferring to the county surplus tanks and artillery from nato Stock. The presidents two Day visit to Greece was marked by protests and fears of terrorism both Here and in Turkey where he will spend two Days. Extraordinary Security measures have surrounded his visit. The state department warned in Washington that terrorists May try to target american interests in both countries during Bush s visits and urged that tourists exercise caution. About 2,000 students marched thursday from Athens University Down the City a main Boulevard toward the parliament building but were restrained by club wielding police using tear Gas. Bands of demonstrator protesting Bush a visit and demanding . Action expelling Turkey from Cyprus were repelled by police wielding clubs and firing tear Gas. They burned three Banks including an american express office and two Public buses. An office of the ruling conservative new democracy party also was set afire. At least 22 people were Hurt and 36 arrested. The violence was too far away for Bush to hear or see during the Short ride from the presidential Palace to the Home of the . Ambassador where he was spending the night. Still the secret service took special precautions in the motorcade. Asked about the protests saturday Bush said a a that a some of what democracy is All about. We done to worry about