Relatives of Hostages Learn Little From Lebanese Diplomats

Relatives of the Americans being held hostage in Beirut drew little response on Monday from Lebanese diplomats they questioned about the fate of their family members.

The 10 relatives of four Americans being held captive were unable to interview Addallah Bouhabib, the Lebanese ambassador to the United States, but talked to the diplomat’s top two lieutenants.

But Eric Jacobsen, son of David P. Jacobsen of Huntington Beach, a hospital administrator kidnaped eight months ago, said the 90-minute private conversation with Georges Sian and Michele Bitar yielded no new information.

“They have no more information than the Reagan Administration,” Jacobsen said outside the Lebanese Embassy. “Their information is very limited.”

The relatives also asked the two Lebanese diplomats for suggestions as to what they could do to speed the unharmed release of the hostages. But they got no response to that, either.

“The standard response was that they didn’t have any information to make an opinion as to what we could do,” said Tom Anderson, a New York City policeman. His brother, Terry A. Anderson, a Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, was kidnaped last year.

The other two hostages are Father Lawrence Jenco, a Roman Catholic priest, and Thomas Southerland, dean of agriculture at American University in Beirut. Jacobsen was the administrator of American University Hospital.

The four are reportedly being held together, but British envoy Terry Waite has been unable to secure their release since he began direct negotiations three months ago with Islamic Jihad (Holy War), the Moslem group claiming responsibility for the kidnapings.

Jenco’s sisters, Sue Franceschini and May Mihelich, his brother, Joe Jenco, and his nephew, Andy Mihelich, all of Joliet, Ill., also flew to the nation’s capital for more talks about the hostage situation.

Southerland’s daughter, Joan Southerland, flew in from Los Angeles late Monday. This is her first trip to Washington to petition on her father’s behalf. The others have made four Washington trips.

Tim Kilburn and Patty Little of Santa Cruz, nephew and niece of Peter Kilburn, the American University’s librarian who was kidnapped 13 months ago, also attended the meeting. However, Kilburn is not listed among the American hostages being held by Islamic Jihad, and there have been no official reports about his whereabouts or his condition.

Little was visibly upset after the meeting.

“They really don’t know anything. This is very frustrating,” she said.

Another kidnaped American, diplomat William Buckley, was reported killed by his captors. But the State Department has never confirmed that report.

After their meeting with the Lebanese officials, the group ate a lunch of soup and sandwiches at the Jesuit Community Center on the Georgetown University campus.

The families resolved to continue monthly trips to Washington until the hostages are released.

“We have to keep speaking up, or they’ll forget about us,” Franceschini said.

The group then outlined their plans for today, which include a noon visit with John M. Pointdexter, President Reagan’s national security adviser.

The families have asked to see President Reagan, but that appears unlikely. They will probably see Vice President George Bush instead.

The family members also will try to visit their respective senators and representatives before returning to their homes on Wednesday.