European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 22, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The tuesday october 22,1991 authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces 8693hostage t Urner . Sends reception team to Wiesbaden latest hostage release from wire reports Beirut Lebanon a american hostage Jesse Turner was released monday by his shiite Muslim kidnappers after nearly five years in Captivity in Lebanon the official iranian news Agency reported. Turner of Boise Idaho was abducted Jan. 24,1987, by shiite Muslim kidnappers posing As police. They took him and another american educator at gunpoint from Beirut University College where Turner taught mathematics and computer science. Turner s colleague Alann Steen remains a captive. An editor in the Beirut office of Iran a islamic Republic news Agency said Turner was set free at 8 . The editor who spoke on condition of anonymity said he had no further details. He did not know where the 44-year-old professor had been released. The syrian government has yet to confirm Turners release and the . Embassy in Damascus Syria said Turner s whereabouts were still unknown. However lebanese police sources confirming Turner s release As reported by Muslim sources said the former hostage was on his Way to Damascus. Traditionally freed american hostages first Are taken to Damascus. But there they Are handed Over to the . Ambassador and flown to Rhein main a Germany and then transferred to the air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden Germany for a Complete medical checkup. This Hospital trip is a Choice left to the freed person but it has always been accepted. The United states on monday dispatched a medical team to Wiesbaden. Medical units Are not usually sent there unless . Officials believe a hostage release is almost certain. State department spokesman Richard Boucher said the syrians have kept . Officials informed on the status of the hostages. He added a we stand ready to assist any american hostage who May be freed and we Are sending a hostage reception team to  Turners Mother Estelle Ronneburg said the . State department had confirmed Turners release. A a in a so grateful. In a still in Shock a she told reporters in Boise. A we waited so Long its hard to believe. It seeps like it was  Turners lebanese wife Badr and their daughter Joanne born six months after his abduction Are in Jesse Turner kidnapped Jan. 24,1987 released oct. 21,1991 age 44, married with one daughter. A grew up in Boise Idaho. A kidnapped from Beirut University College. A was a visiting professor of mathematics and computer science Boise. Word of Turners release came during a Day of rapid developments concerning the hostages and whether the ordeal would end for another captive. Turner was the fourth Western hostage freed since see Turner on Page 210 die before firestorm controlled Oakland Calif. A firefighters announced monday that they Nad contained a ferocious firestorm that swept through the dry Hills above Oakland and Berkeley and destroyed at least 380 Homes. At least 10 people were re sorted killed and damage was put at $1.5 illion. Oakland fire chief Phillip Ewell who made the announcement at a news conference said officials expected the 1,700-acre Blaze which began sunday morning to be controlled by evening. A Parade of fire engines cruised through the eerie blackened area overlooking san Francisco Bay extinguishing hot spots As isolated flames continued to poke into the sky. A what showed up last night As burning hot spots in the Black of night this morning were clearly the charred ruins of Hun see related stories on Page 3 dress of Homes a said gov. Pete Wilson at the news conference after flying Over the area. A a there a been terrible  Wilson declared a state of emergency and alerted the National guard to be ready if needed. On sunday Ash covered residents grabbed pets photographs and other keepsakes before fire chased them from their Homes. Some people drove to safety through streets filled with flaming debris and lined with burning Trees and Homes. A i did no to take my Check Book nothing. There was nobody to help me think a said 77-year-old Piccola White who fled with her great grandson. Among the victims were a family of five who died trying to escape their Burn see firestorm on Page 2 a resident of Oakland Hills searches through the rubble of his Home monday after a firestorm swept the  take 2-0 Lead a see sports