WORLD : Day 2,000 for Terry Anderson

BEIRUT — American journalist Terry Anderson today marked another grim milestone in his 5 1/2 years in captivity: his 2,000th day as a hostage.

Anderson, 42, chief Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, is the longest held of the six Americans, four Britons, two West Germans and one Italian who are captives in Lebanon. Most are held by pro-Iranian Shiite Muslim militants.

Anderson, 42, of Lorain, Ohio, was kidnaped in Muslim West Beirut on March 16, 1985, by the group Islamic Jihad, or Islamic Holy War.

The last information on Anderson came from former Irish hostage Brian Keenan, who said after his release Aug. 24 that he had seen Anderson during his four years in captivity and that he was “in good form.”