Waite Plans New Hostage Mission Soon

Church of England envoy Terry Waite said Sunday that he wants to return to Lebanon before Christmas to resume negotiations to free the remaining American and British hostages but that the lack of security in Beirut probably will delay his trip.

“I spoke to a friend who returned from Beirut yesterday, and he said it was literally carnage in some of the refugee camps,” Waite said, referring to fighting between Palestinian guerrillas and Shia Muslim militiamen. “It’s very dangerous there at the moment.

“Ideally, I would like to be there over Christmas because these Islamic groups know how they feel about their religious festivals, and they recognize the importance of Christmas for us,” Waite told Press Assn., Britain’s domestic news service.

‘Feeling Pretty Dreadful’

“All the hostages in Beirut must be feeling pretty dreadful, especially at Christmas,” he added. “It would be nice to be there to maintain their hopes.”

But Waite, 47, said it is unlikely that he can arrange security for the trip by Christmas.

Waite, who in the past has helped to free hostages in Iran, Libya and Lebanon, said he will be looking in particular at the cases of the two British and five American captives still in kidnapers’ hands.

“The personal danger to me has increased. That’s for sure,” he said. “But I am absolutely sure of my own integrity. I don’t want the speculation to destroy my chances of getting others out.”

Waite said his mission has become more difficult in the wake of charges, which he has strongly denied, that he acted as a middleman for the Reagan Administration’s alleged arms-for-hostage deal with Iran.

Robert Oakley, former head of the State Department’s Office for Combatting Terrorism, said last week that Waite had met in Washington with Lt. Col. Oliver L. North, the National Security Council aide fired for his alleged role in diverting funds from the arms sales to U.S.-backed contras in Nicaragua.

No Government Ties

Waite, 47, issued a statement last week saying that he “has been, and will continue to be, independent of any government.” He would not comment on any meeting with North.

The trip would be Waite’s second Christmas mission to Beirut on behalf of Americans held hostage by Muslim fundamentalists. Last year, he returned home Christmas Eve without making progress and revealed privately that his life was threatened.

In all, more than 15 foreigners are believed held in Lebanon.

Waite was first sent to Beirut in late 1985 after four American hostages wrote to Archbishop of Canterbury Robert A.K. Runcie asking for help. Runcie is spiritual head of the Church of England.

After three fruitless missions in 1985, Waite was involved in the release this year of two Americans, Father Lawrence M. Jenco, 51, a Roman Catholic priest, and David P. Jacobsen, 55, former director of the American University Hospital in Beirut.

Jenco and Jacobsen were held by Islamic Jihad (Islamic Holy War), an underground group of Shia Muslim extremists believed loyal to Iran.

2 Other Americans Held

The group still holds two other Americans, Terry A. Anderson, 39, chief Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, and Thomas Sutherland, 55, dean of agriculture at the American University of Beirut.

Three other American hostages in Lebanon--Joseph J. Cicippio, 56, acting controller at the American University; Edward A. Tracy, 56, an illustrator and book salesman, and Frank H. Reed, 53, director of a private school--are believed held by other groups.

The two captive Britons are Brian Keenan, 35, of Northern Ireland, English teacher at the American University, and John McCarthy, a television cameraman, both kidnaped last April.