Magazine Cites U.S. Contacts on Hostages

Unofficial American negotiators have had direct contacts with the captors of at least 16 Westerners believed held in Lebanon and are working on a deal to pay ransom for the hostages’ releases, the leading Lebanese magazine As Shiraa said Friday.

As Shiraa, which has good contacts among Islamic fundamentalists and is the magazine that first broke the Iran-Contra scandal story, said Anglican Church envoy Terry Waite may be the first hostage freed in the proposed deal.

Waite, 50, was abducted Jan. 20, 1987, in Muslim West Beirut while negotiating the release of Western hostages held by Muslim extremists in secret hideouts in Lebanon.

The deal would involve all the Western hostages believed held by pro-Iranian Shiite extremists in Lebanon, including eight Americans, the magazine said.

“U.S. figures with no official capacity have been engaged in direct contacts with the captors, focusing on a proposed deal to pay some money in exchange for releasing hostages,” As Shiraa said.

In Washington, Deputy White House Press Secretary Roman Popadiuk said he was unaware of any such dealings, but again noted, “There are plenty of people out there talking,” trying to win release of the hostages.