The World - News from June 28, 1989

The abductions of Westerners in Lebanon may have been “a very big mistake,” a spokesman for the Shiite Muslim group believed to be the umbrella organization for those holding the hostages told a news conference in Beirut. Ibrahim Amin, a spokesman for Hezbollah, or Party of God, said: “It is possible that we feel that some acts might have involved a very big mistake. But we have to face the mistakes of our people in a manner that preserves and respects our society.” Hezbollah has repeatedly denied involvement in the kidnapings, although Western and other intelligence agencies have linked them to extremist groups claiming responsibility for the abduction of most of the 15 Westerners, including nine Americans, believed held hostage.