European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 9, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Says captors to Exchange prisoners Damascus Syria a British journalist John Mccarthy was freed thursday after being held hostage in Lebanon for More than five years. He said his captors sought a a full Exchange of Western hostages and israelis prisoners from Lebanon. �?o1 spoke to some of the leaders of the group a Mccarthy said of his captors. A and they said they believe the time is right now to end the situation of All the Western  he said he was carrying a letter from the hostage takers to . Secretary see related Story on Page 3 general Javier Perez de Cuellar which called for Israel to release its prisoners. Mccarthy 34, was turned Over to the British ambassador in Damascus a few hours after being freed in Beirut Lebanon. Later he left Damascus for Britain on a Royal air Force plane his release brings to 11 the number of westerners a including six americans a still believed held in Lebanon by shiite Muslim groups. Mccarthy speaking an syrian television indicated that the release of other hostages would depend on israelis freeing prisoners from its jails As the Arab hostage takers have demanded. "1 believe they want to make a full Exchange of the Western hostages All the prisoners civilian and military who Are currently being held by Israel from Lebanon a he said. A a that a to include the lebanese soldiers civilians and any palestinians who have been taken from  Israel has said no prisoners would be freed until it obtained assurances through the International committee of the red Cross that seven israeli military men missing in Lebanon would be freed or their remains turned Over. In Israel on thursday Uri Lubrani a see hostage on Page 2 British journalist John Mccarthy right is shown on can in Damascus Syria after his release. The other Man is  works to relieve moving crunch by Randy Mcclain and David Tarrant Staft writers Heidelberg Germany a army officials in Europe said thursday they have found additional carriers to help move the 35,000 service members scheduled to ship out to the United states by december. Six new carriers have been signed up in recent Days for International shipments . Transportation officials said including movers that will help in the overcrowded Frankfurt and Stuttgart communities. But the additional carriers Are still not enough to make up for a critical shortage of moving companies to help ship household goods elsewhere in Germany they said. A we have a Short term problem but we re making every Effort to meet it. We re working hand in Glove with the German household goods Industry and we re optimistic that Well attain the objective of having Pur soldiers pcs de by the end of december with Quality moves a said col. Ted cimral chief of usage  a transportation Energy and troop support division. However cimral stopped Short of promising that All service members who have requested certain mov ing dates will go Home when they want to. A some people who want to move in August and september Are being told  have to wait until october a cimral said. In some cases that Means families with school age children a normally a High priority for Early shipment Home during Normal summer rotations a will miss school enrolment deadlines he said. A a we re trying to avoid that but even in Normal times its difficult to get All the kids Back in school on time Quot the army a transportation Boss said. Delays in shipping soldiers household goods to the United Stales have been plaguing the military since last months announcement that nearly 100 units across Germany Are being returned to the slates for either deactivation or reassignment As part of a draw Down of . Forces in Europe. Cimral said the main problem has been finding enough German moving companies to pack service members belongings in a timely fashion. He said the most difficult months will he August and september when nearly 17,500 household goods shipments must be handled. That a roughly 50 percent of the total number of shipments expected Between now and december and twice the Normal volume of summertime moves he said. Communities in which the largest number of moves must be made include Frankfurt Niernberg the Mainz area and Stuttgart for the army and Hahn Pitburg and Span Dahlem air bases for the air Force authorities said. German moving companies Are operating shorthanded in Large part because they scaled Back operations during the persian Gulf War when few people were making International moves according to Industry observers. And Many firms now claim they re having trouble rehiring enough employees to handle the military a unexpected volume of moves. The six new German moving companies that have signed contracts with the . Government will pick up and crate personal belongings for International shipment. Hie defense transposition service will handle the actual shipping of the household goods Over the Ocean said col. George Housley chief of the personal property directorate of the military traffic management cd omd. The command which see crunch on Page 2