Hasenfus Going Free, Will Testify in Congress Probes : Ortega Opts to Give Him a Pardon

President Daniel Ortega today requested a pardon for American Eugene Hasenfus as a sign Nicaragua wants peace with the United States and said the jailed U.S. mercenary probably would leave the country within hours.

Ortega, speaking at the news conference, said he “anticipated” being able to turn Hasenfus over to Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) later today after the National Assembly voted on the pardon.

“Sen. Dodd should then be able to travel with Mr. Hasenfus and his wife en route to the United States,” Ortega said.

Dodd apparently argued in a meeting with Ortega on Tuesday night that the testimony of Hasenfus before congressional committees would be valuable in the investigation of the Iran arms sales, some proceeds of which were diverted to contra rebels fighting the leftist government of Nicaragua.

Hasenfus, 45, of Marinette, Wis., was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his part in running arms to the contras. He was arrested Oct. 6, one day after his aircraft carrying weapons to the contra rebels was shot down by Nicaraguan soldiers, and was later convicted by a revolutionary tribunal.

‘An Important Witness’

The senator told the NBC “Today” show in an interview from the Nicaraguan capital earlier today that he believed that Hasenfus could be “an important witness” in investigations into the channeling of funds from Iranian arms sales to the U.S.-backed contras.

“I think he’s got something to say. He expressed a willingness to talk to members of the staff and the members of those committees,” Dodd told NBC. “I think it would be worthwhile to get him home. Certainly the Nicaraguans, for their own reasons, are going to see that as important.”

Sofia Clark, a spokeswoman for the Nicaraguan Embassy in Washington, had said earlier that should Hasenfus be freed, it would be so that he could give information to Congress about his activities in Nicaragua. “Our feeling is that the guy serves a better purpose than sitting in a Nicaraguan jail,” she said.

“I couldn’t be more happy,” said Hasenfus’ wife, Sally, standing beside Ortega at his news conference.

“I am very grateful for the pardon that has been given my husband, Gene. As President Ortega said, it couldn’t be a better birthday present for Adam,” she said, referring to the couple’s youngest son, whose birthday is Thursday.

‘Nicaragua Wants Peace’

A communique read over the government Voice of Nicaragua radio station by Ortega’s press secretary, Manuel Espinoza, said the president’s pardon request to the National Assembly was made to show the American people that “Nicaragua wants peace.”

Espinoza said Ortega received a request from the government’s National Human Rights Commission to free Hasenfus, who is serving his sentence at Tipitapa Prison outside Managua.

Dodd also said he was granted permission to visit Sam Nesley Hall, identified as an American suspected of spying. So far, the Nicaraguan government has ignored a request by the U.S. Embassy that an American consul visit Hall.

Dodd, a member of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, has been critical of the Reagan Administration’s backing of the contras. He is expected to become chairman of the Western Hemisphere Affairs subcommittee when Congress convenes in January.

Dodd is on a private fact-finding tour of Central America.