European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 8 a the stars and stripes saturday april 18, 1992rebels threaten to attack afghan capital Kabul Afghanistan apr Radical Muslim guerrillas hiding in the mountains threatened Friday to attack the capital a Day after president Najibullah was stripped of Power and went into hiding. The sounds of heavy artillery and rockets echoed until Dawn Friday fired by government forces at the Southern outskirts of the City where fundamentalist guerrillas were reportedly advancing. Government and guerrilla sources said that in a move to thwart the fundamentalists foreign minister Abdul Wakil travelled to the Mountain Headquarters for talks with the one of the strongest guerrilla commanders Ahmed Shah Masood. It was the first time either Side acknowledged that negotiations were taking place. The sources said the meeting took place at Charika a strategic town about 40 Miles North of Kabul on the Salang Highway the vital Supply link Between the capital and the former soviet Union. Najibullah installed by the soviets in 1986 before their troops left Afghanistan was stripped of Power thursday and replaced by a coalition of generals and what were believed to be moderate rebel guerrillas. He was reportedly staying at . Offices in Kabul. . Special envoy Benon Sevan has been pressuring the new government to allow the deposed president to safely leave the country senior sources in the ruling Homeland party said. However the sources said the army and some party members called for Naji Bullah a arrest and trial. A former head of the dreaded afghan secret police Najibullah has been accused of torturing or killing thousands of political opponents who opposed the marxist government that seized Power in 1978. Heavily armed soldiers patrolled the streets of Kabul on Friday the Muslim holy Day but were relaxed some Blase about the changes. Most of the City a 1.5 million residents seemed Calm As they waited to see whether Najibullah a departure would bring peace or new bloodshed. The . Security Council appealed thursday to All sides to adhere to the . Plan to establish a Neutral interim government that would Rule until elections could be held. But some rebel groups declared that Najibullah a departure had effectively killed the plan. Wakil said Najibullah tried to sneak away with a brother and close aide Early thursday but was stopped by hundreds of rebel militiamen at Kabul a International freezes flights to fight River of lava by Jim Derheim staff photographer mount Etna Sicily a a curtain of swirling Snow came with the Sunrise Friday Over this erupting Volcano forcing the postponement of flights to Battle the lava threatening the town of Zafferano Etna for the second Day in a Row. A break in the weather Isnit Likely soon because a Low pressure system has brought unsettled weather to the entire Island of Sicily according to the naval oceanography come det Nas Simonella. By 7 ., heavy Snow showers were falling at Rifugio Sapienza a ski resort that has served As a base of operations since april 11. On thursday the weather Cut Short flights by two ch-53e super stallions after two round trips to the area above Zafferano Etna where engineers Are trying to divert the lava flow by stuffing a Small vent with Concrete blocks. Two 15,000-Pound slabs were dropped into the Rushing flow before the danger of wind sneer caused the big Birds to Back off for the Day. Quot at the time of our planning with the italian engineers earlier in the week weather was not an Issue a said it. Robert curia officer in charge of the operation at the ski resort who waited with other Seabee inside a warm Coffee bar while Winter raged outside. Quot we had limited hours to carry out the plan in the beginning. Since then the weather a gotten much another Factor causing headaches is the constantly shifting shape of the Mouth of a Tunnel that is funnel ing the swiftly moving lava toward the town below. Officials Hope to plug that vent using a sled Laden with Concrete blocks. The newly modified sled built by curiae a men now measures nearly 9 feet wide by 29 feet Long. A launch platform that is slightly larger than the sled has been . Sailors assemble a steel platform to hold huge Concrete blocks that officials Hope will divert the lava flow. Greased to promote the propulsion of the payload consisting of 11 Security roadblocks nicknamed a Beirut busters weighing 8,000 to 10,000 pounds apiece. One helicopter will hoist the platform and the sled to a Point on a 25-Dcgree slope above the vent. The platform will hold the sled containing the Concrete blocks. The sled will be Slid across the lava stones after restraining cables have been released by Small explosive charges. Officials Hope this Bulky payload will Jam itself into the Tunnel carrying the lava for the few minutes needed for the Stream to be diverted to the left and right of its present course. Italian combat engineers have prepared paths that will be lined with extra Beirut busters for what they Hope will be the lavas new direction away from Zafferano Etna. The blocks one of which had a Chi mom a sprayed across its flank will be linked together by 1 i Inch steel Cable wrapped in Asbestos to give them some Protection against the lavas intense heat. A the cables wont last Long even with the wrapping Quot said Petty officer 1st class Sergio Smith one of the More than 25 men under curiae a command. The 1,922-degree surface temperature of the magma is thought to be considerably less than the still unmeasured Center of the flowing River of red. 3,000 Church officials linked to Stasi r Hamburg Germany apr thousands of lutheran Church officials including Bishops worked with the former East German secret police a newsmagazine said thursday. Der Spiegel Magazine did not say whether the Church officials knew that they were listed As agents by the secret police also called the Stasi. Der Spiegel said that the lutheran Church in former East Germany employed up to 50,000 people and that More than 3,000 of them were listed in Stasi records As a unofficial the report in the Hamburg based Magazine said the stasis influence reached the churches highest Levels a including Bishops and members of the churches leadership Spiegel said a special Synod held in october 1974 was organized by the Stasi to induce the Church to pledge loyalty to communist East Germany. Excerpts from Der Spiegell a report were provided to other news Media. Memorial service set for logistics director Munich Germany a amps a a memorial service will be held at 1 . Tuesday at the Terlacher Forst Chapel in Munich for Charles Simpson 49, who died april 11 of cancer. Simpson was director of logistics for the Munich military Community. He served in the army from 1960 until 1975, and received the Bronze Star medal during a tour in Vietnam. He also received the Vietnam Cross of Gaii Antry with Palm and the National defense service medal. During his career in civil service he worked in Vicenza Italy and in Pir Masens and Mohringer Ger Many before being assigned to Munich in 1986. Simpson was a third degree master Mason of the James t. Dorsey Lodge no. 114 in bad Kreuz Nach. He will be buried wednesday in Paese Italy. The family has asked that donations be made in his name to the american cancer society. He is survived by his wife Bruna two sons Charles 111 and Raffaele his parents or. And mrs. Charles h. Simpsonsr. Of Detroit his brother Lewis Cancun two Stepbrother Ronald and Wayne Mckenney of Detroit and a Stepsister Patrice Grayson of new held after expo struck by second fire Seville Spain apr police were holding a Man for questioning in connection with a fire that destroyed much of the South Pacific islands Pavilion at the expo �?T92 Complex Friday three Days before the largest Ever Universal exposition was to open. A police spokesman said the Man had been detained As part of an investigation into the cause of the fire. News reports said Sparks from a welding instrument fanned by Strong winds May have caused the Blaze in the Wood and grass Structure. The fire broke out at 1030 And destroyed the structures Central exhibit Section. It was the second major Blaze at the 531-acre expo site on feb. 18, fire destroyed the Interior of the discovery Pavilion one of five major thematic pavilions of expo 92. King Juan Carlos is scheduled to preside Over expos opening ceremony monday. The fair will run through oct. 12
