Report of Hostage Death Denied

A Christian-run radio station said today that kidnaped U.S. Marine Lt. Col. William Higgins was killed by his pro-Iranian Muslim captors this month in southern Lebanon, but the report was promptly denied.

A spokesman for the Shia Muslim militia Amal, which has participated in the search for Higgins since his capture in February, issued a denial, and U.S. officials said they could not confirm the report by the Voice of Lebanon radio station. Citing “special information,” the station said the decorated Vietnam veteran was killed by members of the pro-Iranian Hezbollah movement during fighting this month between Hezbollah and Amal in southern Lebanon.