European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 8 a the stars and stripes thursday december 5,1991 last american hostage2,455 nights in Mideast darkness by Charles j. Hanley associated press it began with saturday morning Tennis. On the Way from the courts Back to his office Terry Anderson vanished into the Black Hole of Lebanon a political kidnappers. But in another Way the beginnings of the american journalist s ordeal Lay much deeper a in the . Marines intervention in Lebanon in Middle East colonialism even in the crusades. Anderson the last american hostage in Lebanon has been held to the bitter end As a prisoner of the Radical islamic hatred of the West. And in the end when his planned release was announced wednesday by his kidnappers it was history itself that forced their hand history that had swept aside and rebuilt the political balance of a turbulent Region. Anderson chief Middle East correspondent of the associated press had worked in Lebanon for two years when he was abducted off a West Beirut Street on March 16,1985. The Veteran reporter knew firsthand the dangers around every Comer in that City of warring christians and muslims leftists and rightists. But �?o1 like where in a at a he told a Nephew. He was swept up in a Lebanon kidnapping spree that snared almost 100 foreigners through the 1980s. At least eight eventually were slain including three americans Cia officer William Buckley University librarian Peter Wilbum and Marine it. Col. William r. Higgins. Most of the shadowy terrorist groups seemed linked to Hezbollah party of Goda lebanese shiite movement aligned with islamic fundamentalist Iran. Anderson s kidnappers islamic jihad holy warhead one key demand release of 17 terrorists mostly shiites convicted in the bombing of the . And French embassies in Kuwait in 1983. Otherwise the group s Lebanon hostages would be killed. Then president Reagan vowed a no  but in november 1986, after american hostage David Jacobsen was freed it became Clear that his administration indeed had been negotiating. It was disclosed that the White House had secretly shipped arms to Iran and the arms sales apparently led to hostage releases. The unmasking of the Iran Contra affair touched off a political firestorm in Washington and paralysed . Efforts to free the hostages. Other private efforts continued none More dogged than the Campaign of Anderson s sister Peggy say who trekked through the Middle East with associated press financial support in search of someone with the key to the hostages Freedom. Through the months and years As diplomats probed Back channels and friends and family kept their cause in the headlines life in Captivity became life itself for the hostages a life of interminable stretches of boredom punctuated by flashes of  Anderson chronology of Captivity they were shuttled from place to place to discourage any attempt by com Mantzos to free them. They were held alone or in Small groups often chained to Walls or radiators and they rarely saw sunlight. When possible they did sit  and other cooped up calisthenic. They read from battered bibles argued politics played makeshift chess. And they fell into Black depressions. A i find it difficult to keep my Hope and courage High a Anderson confessed in a videotape that his captors released in 19s8. But this Small band of Brothers in chains found strength in one another especially in the Gritty former Marine in their midst. Quot without Terry Anderson i  have made it for 6w years a hostage Thomas Sutherland said after his release. Anderson himself found Solace in the careworn photo of a Little girl the daughter he never held. Salome was bom to his Fiancee Madeleine Bassil four months after his kidnapping. His captors allowed him a picture of the child. It was a rare Small kindness amid great brutality. American hostage Frank Reed reported after his release for example that his nose jaw ribs and feet were broken by his jailers after he tried to escape. Freed Frenchman Jean Paul Kauffman said one guard staged a mock execution of hostages. When three Western hostages were freed in 1990, an end to the endless impasse seemed in sight. Then in 1991, political upheaval rocked the Mideast landscape. The persian Gulf War Drew Iran and Syria closer to the West. Israel and its Arab enemies entered historic new negotiations. Peace finally dawned in Lebanon a civil War. The hostage knot began quickly to unravel. Meanwhile islamic jihad a key demand became meaningless the terrorist prisoners in Kuwait had fled when Iraq invaded the emirate in August 1990. Other demands accumulated a chiefly Freedom for lebanese prisoners held by Israel a but the kidnappers were ready to Deal with . Officials As mediators. Things began to happen. Starting in August in regular succession american and British hostages emerged one by one into Freedom. Just As regularly Israel released batches of its Arab captives. In a final Rush Sutherland and Terry Waite the British mediator tuned hostage were freed nov. 18. On monday and tuesday americans Joseph Cicippio and Alann Steen were released. Then on wednesday the defiant last Man Anderson was scheduled to be freed after 2,455 nights lost in the Eye of the Middle East storm. 1985 March 16 a Anderson abducted in Beirut by islamic jihad. May 16�? first photo of Anderson in Captivity released. Sept. 9 a the Rev. Benjamin Weir another islamic jihad captive is freed after ,16 months in Captivity. Nov. 8 a in an open letter Anderson and three other american captives urge president Reagan to Quot have mercy Quot and negotiate. 1986 july 26�? the Rev. Lawrence Martin Jenco who says he was held with Anderson for a year is freed after 19 months. Oct. 3 a in a videotaped Appeal Anderson and american hostage David Jacobsen urge Reagan to work hard for their release. Nov. 2 a Jacobsen is freed after 17 months in Captivity. Dec. 24 a release of videotape of Anderson Reading a criticism of Reagan adminis ration for failing to secure the americans release. ? 1988 March 16 a Andersons third year in Captivity. April 10 a photo of Anderson released with threats to kill captives if a kuwaiti jetliner hijacked by shiite extremists is stormed. Aug. 18 a photo of Anderson issued with new demands israeli withdrawal from South Lebanon and compensation for reconstruction of South Lebanon and South Beirut. Oct. 31 a videotape of Anderson to Mark his 41st birthday is released. He says Quot i find it difficult to keep my Hope and courage  1989 oct. 27 a Andersen a filth birthday in Captivity. 1990 april 22 a american hostage Robert Polhill is released in West Beirut but says he can shed no Light on Anderson s Fate. April 30 a american educator Frank Reed is freed in Beirut. He says he spent time  Anderson but had not seen him since Early 1989. Aug. 24 a irishman Brian Keenan is freed and says he spent More than four years m Captivity with Anderson. Oct. 27 a Anderson s sixth birthday in Captivity. 1991 March 16 a the end of Andersons sixth year in Captivity. Oct. 6 a in a videotape Anderson urges All parties to accelerate negotiations to free Western hostages and says hundreds of Arab prisoners deserve Freedom too oct. 27 a Anderson Marks his 44th birthday his seventh in Captivity. Nov. 18 a briton Terry Waite and american Thomas Sutherland Are freed and say they were held with Anderson. 2 a american Joseph Cicippio is released. Dec. 3 a american Alann Steen is freed. Dec. 4 a Anderson is reportedly freed. Parab disunity seen As catalyst for releases by Ron Jensen staff writer the rapid release of the hostages from Lebanon in recent months which would culminate with the expected release of Terry Anderson after 617 years of Captivity to a positive Side effect of the persian Gulf War say two University professors of International relations. Snatching hostages from lebanese streets focused a global spotlight on the kidnappers often Small shiite Muslim factions that shared interests with the Arab world As a whole and wanted their viewpoint known. A the persian Gulf War changed the equation a said John g. Rader of the University of Maryland s european faculty. A the whole situation in the Mideast after the Gulf War  the Mideast is no longer simply is Rael is. The Arab world he said. Attention has been focused on the desires of individual Arab groups. A Israel was slipping off the radar screen after the persian Gulf War a he said. As a result Rader said Israel began releasing shiite prisoners refocusing attention on itself and forcing the hand of shiites who were holding americans. The War saw a coalition forged Between Arab nations and Western nations against another Arab nation a an unusual sort of thing a said Boston University professor Joseph Heinlein. Arab issues since the War have not been linked across the Board with All Arab nations said Heinlein who teaches International relations at campuses in Germany and France. A the arabs in the Region Are not thinking in pan Arab terms anymore a Heinlein said. A a they re thinking in nationalistic  in this new portrait of the Arab world the smaller Radical Arab groups have lost their voice. A i think they just Felt that holding the hostages was t paying off any longer a Rader said. As a result americans edward1jesse Turner Thomas Sutherland Joseph Cicippio Alann Steen and other hostages have become free men since the War ended in february Anderson was expected to be released wednesday. The breakup of a United Arab front is evident in the Mideast peace talks now going on Heinlein said i he arabs Are not going to the talks United in their demands. A i think that a new and different a he in plus it gives the smaller factions no Large front with which to identify he said. In the War most of them identified with Iraq. A Syria As much or More so than Iraq has supported terrorism As an instrument a Heinlein said. But now that Syria runs Lebanon and is willing to talk with the West the Arab factions holding hostages in Lebanon have lost some Security. A these groups that have been taking hostages done to have a Safe Haven Quot Heinlein said. If Anderson were released it should not be interpreted to mean grabbing americans As a political weapon has ended the two men said. The environment in which the kidnappings took place still exists. A a there a still a lot of dissatisfied people particularly in Lebanon a Heinlein said