Cablegate: Evening Standard Article On Us Captives In

O 191752Z MAR 85
FM AMEMBASSY LONDON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9116
INFO AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY ALGIERS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY AMMAN IMMEDIATE
AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS LONDON 06332

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL UNSC LE IS XF
SUBJECT: EVENING STANDARD ARTICLE ON US CAPTIVES IN
LEBANON

REF: RAPHEL/STANTON TELCON 31985

1. PARAGRAPH 2 CONTAINS ARTICLE FROM THE STANDARD OF
MARCH 19, 1985 ENTITLED "TORTURE ORDEAL OF KIDNAPPED
US DIPLOMAT". THE ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY THEODORE
LEVITE IN TEL AVIV.

2. BEGIN TEXT: AN AMERICAN DIPLOMAT KIDNAPPED BY LEBANESE
EXTREMISTS IS BEING PARADED AROUND THE COUNTRY IN AN OPEN
TRUCK AND PUBLICLY TORTURED AND HUMILIATED.

THE MAN SAID BY THE KIDNAPPERS TO BE THE HEAD OF THE CIA
IN BEIRUT, WAS SEIZED LAST MARCH BY THE FANATICAL SHI'ITE
HIZBOLLAH ORGANIZATION.

THE CIA CARAVAN--AS THE KIDNAPPERS CALL IT--GOES FROM ONE
SHI'ITE VILLAGE TO ANOTHER IN LEBANONS BEKA'A VALLEY
ATTRACTING HUGE JEERING CROWDS WHILE THE PRIZE HOSTAGE IS
FORCED TO TAKE PART IN THE "SHOW".

SHI'ITE SOURCES IN SOUTH LEBANON REPORTING THE STORY POINT
OUT THAT HIZBOLLAH IS TOTALLY CONTROLLED BY IRAN AND ACTS
ONLY ON ITS DIRECT ORDERS.

THE ORGANIZATION HAS ADMITTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WEEK-
END KIDNAPPING OF TWO BRITONS AND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BUREAU CHIEF IN BEIRUT MR. TERRY ANDERSON.

--

THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE CAUSED THE
U.S. GOVERNMENT HURRIEDLY TO EVACUATE THE REMAINING
AMERICAN DIPLOMATS FROM BEIRUT TO CYPRUS.

THE HIZBOLLAH GROUP IS BELIEVED TO BE CURRENTLY HOLDING
FIVE AMERICANS, TWO BRITONS, AND SEVERAL OTHER FOREIGNERS.

UNITED NATIONS SOURCES IN SOUTH LEBANON POINT OUT THAT
IT IS THE SHI'ITE FANATICS WHO PRESENT THEIR HOSTAGE AS
A CIA CHIEF--SOMETHING THE AMERICANS HAVE NEVER ADMITTED
BEYOND CONFIRMING THAT ONE OF THEIR DIPLOMATS IN BEIRUT
IS MISSING, BELIEVED TO BE HELD HOSTAGE.

THE KIDNAPPED AMERICAN IS THOUGHT TO BE MR. WILLIAM
BUCKLEY, A POLITICAL OFFICER AT THE U.S. EMBASSY IN BEIRUT.

HE WAS SEIZED IN WEST BEIRUT NEAR HIS EMBASSY WHEN HE WAS
FORCED INTO A WHITE CAR AND DRIVEN AWAY AT GUN-POINT.

A VIDEO FILM RELEASED IN JANUARY SHOWED HIM AND TWO OTHER
KIDNAPPED AMERICANS, MR. JEREMY LEVIN AND MR. BENJAMIN
WEIR.

--

MEANWHILE ISRAEL WAS PREPARING A TOUGH NEW DEFENCE LINE ON
ITS BORDER WITH LEBANON TODAY, AIMED AT PREVENTING
TERRORIST INCURSIONS AFTER THE ARMY WITHDRAWS.

MILITARY CHIEFS SAY THE WITHDRAWAL COULD COME AS QUICKLY
AS JUNE DESPITE OFFICIAL ESTIMATES THAT ISRAELI SOLDIERS
WILL BE OUT OF LEBANON BY SEPTEMBER.

ARMY ENGINEERS ARE WORKING DAY AND NIGHT IN THE NEW DEFENCE
LINE, MOST OF THE DETAILS OF WHICH ARE HIGHLY SECRET.

ONE OFFICER SAID, "WE'RE NOT BUILDING A GREAT WALL OF
CHINA, BUT OUR AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT NO MADMEN DRIVING A
CAR BOMB WILL BE ABLE TO GET INTO ISRAEL."

SPORADIC FIGHTING ERUPTED TODAY BETWEEN THE LEBANESE
ARMY AND THE RIGHT-WING CHRISTIAN MILITIAMEN NEAR THE
SOUTHERN CITY OF SIDON AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF CLASHES IN
THE AREA YESTERDAY. END TEXT.

3. BEIRUT MINIMIZE CONSIDERED.

PRICE

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