Reagan welcomes freed hostages home

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 10

Reagan welcomes freed hostages home

NZPA-AP Washington The President of the United States, Mr Ronald Reagan, welcomed home yesterday 30 of the American citizens held hostage in Lebanon for 17 days, and spokesmen for his Administration asserted that steps would be taken to bring action against the hijackers. “There will be no forgetting,” the President said. In a brief ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, in suburban Washington, Mr Reagan shook the hand of each of the former captives as they came off the plane that returned them to American soil. He reminded them that “the homecoming won’t be complete” until seven other kidnapped Americans are returned home. The terrorist who killed one of the captives “must be brought to justice,” he said.

Earlier a White House spokesman, Larry Speakes, when asked if the United States would try to take action against the T.W.A. hijackers, now that their identities are known, replied: “We plan to take whatever steps are available to us, both legally and otherwise, to bring these people to justice.” Mr Speakes refused to elaborate, but under questioning from reporters,

amended his statement, substituting the word “judicial” for “legally.” He said that the United States would not do anything illegal. The State Department said that it might undertake unilateral efforts against the hijackers of T.W.A. Flight 847 if Lebanese authorities failed to take appropriate action on their own. A Department spokesman, Bernard Kalb, noting that Lebanon is a member of two international conventions that require it to try or to extradite hijackers,

said, “We believe that Lebanon has a responsibility to act under the terms of these conventions.” Mr Kalb said that if diplomatic approaches failed, “we at least have laid a basis for further, unilateral efforts in appropriate circumstances.” He declined to elaborate. At the end of the ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base, Mr Reagan looked around and said, with a wide grin: “Go home!” From Andrews, the newly reunited families returned separately to their homes

across the country. Nine other former hostages made their own travel plans from West Germany, where they were flown after their release. Mr Reagan and his wife stopped at Arlington National Cemetery en route to the arrival ceremony and laid a wreath of .white and red carnations and a small white bouquet of tulips and other flowers at the grave of Robert Dean Stethem. He was the only fatality among the 153 people kidnapped aboard Trans World Airlines

Flight 847 by Shi’ite Muslim hijackers on June 14. “They beat Robby Stethem without mercy, then shot him to death,” Mr Reagan said a few minutes later at Andrews. “Our joy at your return is substantial, but so is our pain at what was done to that son of America. “I know you care deeply about Robby Stethem and what was done to him. We will not forget what was done to him. There will be no forgetting. His murderers must be brought to justice.”