Jenco Opposes Any Trading of Arms, Hostages

Father Lawrence M. Jenco, an American priest who was released by kidnapers in Lebanon, said Sunday that it would be better for other American hostages to stay in captivity than be freed in return for U.S. arms shipments to Iran.

But Jenco said he does not believe that his release and that of two other Americans over the last 14 months was part of a swap for arms.

“I was told by the President (Reagan) that that was not true, and I have to believe his word until otherwise is proved,” Jenco told reporters at Heathrow Airport.

The Roman Catholic priest, freed by his Shia Muslim captors July 26 after nearly 19 months in captivity, is in London for a church meeting to focus on release efforts.

Two other former American hostages--the Rev. Benjamin Weir, freed Sept. 14, 1985, and David P. Jacobsen, freed Nov. 2--also plan to attend the session today, along with Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite and American representatives of the Presbyterian, Episcopal, Roman Catholic and Baptist churches.

Arranged by Anglican Church

The meeting was arranged by Archbishop of Canterbury Robert A. K. Runcie, spiritual head of the Anglican Church.

Five Americans remain missing in Lebanon. Islamic Jihad, the group that held Weir, Jacobsen and Jenco, says it holds two of them.

Asked if he would condone an arms deal by Reagan in exchange for the release of hostages, Jenco answered, “No.”

Pressed on whether the hostages should remain in captivity rather than being freed in an arms deal, he said, “Right.”

Reagan acknowledged last week that he authorized a secret arms shipment to Iran but denied that it was part of a deal to win the release of hostages. The President said his goal was to re-establish “access and influence” with Iran’s revolutionary leadership.

Islamic Jihad and the Revolutionary Justice Organization, another group that says it is holding American hostages, are believed made up of Shia Muslims loyal to Iran’s fundamentalist Shia Muslim leadership.

Jenco said claims that Reagan exchanged arms for hostages were too simplistic. “I don’t believe that. I think there are a lot of other elements there involved. So we’re going to work out those other elements,” he said.

The priest said the aim of today’s meeting is to “refocus on the humanitarian and religious aspects in trying to secure the release of these men, especially Terry Anderson and Tom Sutherland.”

Anderson, chief Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, and Sutherland, acting dean of agriculture at Beirut’s American University, are held by Islamic Jihad.