Hostage Crisis Team Holds Talks in Bonn : Syrian Troops Press Hunt for Latest German Victim in Beirut

The hostage crisis team of the West German government met Thursday in emergency session as Syrian troops in Lebanon searched for the latest German kidnap victim.

Authorities here said they are seeking help from the governments of Syria and Iran. Both are believed to have contacts with the militant Shia Muslim group that is said to be responsible for Wednesday’s abduction in Beirut.

The object of the search is Rudolf Schray, a 30-year-old engineer who was born in Lebanon but carries a West German passport. He apparently was abducted in an effort to pressure West German officials into releasing or giving special consideration to two Lebanese brothers.

3rd Brother Suspected

The brothers, Mohammed Ali Hamadi and Abbas Ali Hamadi, are charged with terrorist acts. Abbas is presently on trial at Duesseldorf, charged with the earlier abduction in Beirut of two other West Germans. Mohammed is awaiting trial on charges of air piracy and murder for alleged involvement in the 1985 hijacking of a TWA jetliner during which a U.S. Navy man was killed.

A third brother, Abdel Hadi Hamadi, described as a leader of the radical, pro-Iranian Shia Muslim organization known as Hezbollah, or Party of God, is believed to be behind Wednesday’s abduction, according to Schray’s relatives.

Abbas is charged with abducting West German businessmen Alfred Schmidt and Rudolf Cordes a year ago after the arrest in Frankfurt of his brother Mohammed in connection with the TWA hijacking. Schmidt was released last September.

The crisis team that met Thursday is headed by Wolfgang Schaeuble, chief of staff to Chancellor Helmut Kohl. A spokesman for the team confirmed that it had met but said no public statement would be issued.

At the same time, the chief government spokesman, Friedhelm Ost, issued a statement saying that “at this time the government has no knowledge of a connection” between the Schray kidnaping and the earlier abductions.

Diplomatic sources said the Schray abduction makes it almost impossible for Bonn to agree to any deal involving leniency for the Hamadi brothers in exchange for the hostages’ freedom.

“If the West German government gave in to demands for special treatment for the Hamadis now,” one diplomat said, “they would lose all credibility in facing down terrorism.”

There have been reports that the abductors of Schmidt and Cordes were given something, probably money, in exchange for Schmidt’s release. But these reports have been officially denied in Bonn.

In Beirut, meanwhile, Syrian troops responsible for security in West Beirut set up checkpoints and began searching houses.

Stuffed Into Trunk

A witness who lives in the southern part of the city told the Reuters news agency that he saw Schray there Wednesday being moved from the trunk of one car to another.

“He was struggling with his captors, but a gunman dumped him into the trunk of the car and stuck a rifle muzzle in his stomach,” the witness was quoted as saying.

He said Schray’s glasses were shattered and his face bloodied.

A Syrian military spokesman told Reuters: “Syria is dealing with the incident seriously. It has issued warnings to the parties concerned to release Schray immediately.”

According to the Voice of Lebanon, a Christian radio station, four Iranian officials have arrived in Beirut, among them the deputy chief of intelligence and a senior officer of the Revolutionary Guards.