Beirut Press Marks Hostage Anderson’s Birthday

Lebanese newspapers published birthday letters to American Terry A. Anderson on Saturday, his 43rd birthday and his sixth in captivity. One newspaper reported that fellow hostage Terry Waite will be freed soon.

Seven newspapers printed birthday greetings to Anderson from his sister, Peggy Say, his youngest daughter, Sulome, and Madeleine, Sulome’s mother. They published the original English text so that Anderson, who did not know Arabic when he was kidnaped, would be able to read them if his kidnapers allow him to.

Anderson, chief Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press, is the longest-held of the 11 Western hostages in Lebanon. He was kidnaped March 16, 1985, by a pro-Iranian group known as Islamic Jihad.

The newspaper Al Diyar, meanwhile, said British hostage Terry Waite will be freed either “by the end of this month or within the first half of the coming November, at the latest.”

The short, front-page report attributed the information to an unnamed security source. The conservative Al Diyar is not known to have special insight into the hostage issue, but the report was the latest predicting Waite’s release since Iran and Britain agreed Sept. 27 to restore diplomatic ties.

Waite, 51, an Anglican Church envoy, was kidnaped Jan. 20, 1987, after leaving his West Beirut hotel to negotiate with representatives of Anderson’s kidnapers. Like Anderson, he is believed to be held by Islamic Jihad.