- Title: LEBANON: SINGER DEMIS ROUSSOS RELEASED AS HOSTAGE DRAMA ENTERS FIFTH DAY
- Date: 18th June 1985
- Summary: BEIRUT, LEBANON 18 JUNE 1985 (REUTERS - (KASSEM/ KHOURY/MAMFOUZ) ( C** BEWARE FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) SV Nabih Berri and Demis Roussos at news conference CU PULL BACK TO SV ZOOM INTO CU Berri speaking (Arabic & English SOT), TRANSCRIPT: BERRI: (SEQ.2 )"Now I leave you with three persons. They were in the hostage before. You know the singer Roussos, and his fiancee his friend, and our friend here is from American nationality. You can ask them what you like because they are free from tody. It is good step before the holiday, which starts today or tomorrow." Roussos speaking,(French SOT) (KHOURY) GVs Beirut suburbs where hostages believed to be held.(3 SHOTS) GVs & SVs Amal militia guarding area around airfield. (4 SHOTS) (MAMFOUZ) SVs & GVs Aircraft on tarmac showing pilot and one armed hijacker. (4 SHOTS) GV American warship off coast GV Plane on tarmac
- Embargoed: 3rd July 1985 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BEIRUT, LEBANON
- Country: Lebanon
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Conflict,Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA1T97LRIJDFLPCKS1YT4WM54D4
- Story Text: Shi'ite Moslem leader Nabih Berri released Greek singer Demis Roussos and two other hostages on June 18 at the start of the fifth day of the hijack drama of the Trans World Airlines jet stranded at Beirut airport. Roussos, his American girlfriend Pamela Smith and a Greek-American hostage Arthur Targontsitis were presented to journalists at Berri's house in west Athens to Rome Flight 847 was taken over by hijackers on June 14. He said his captors treated him well and gave him a birthday cake. Roussos looked tired and dishevelled as he answered questions in French and English. He confirmed reports that he had sung for his captors, whom he described as' very, very king". Roussos also confirmed that all the passengers had been taken off the plane. He said he had been held in a house in Beirut. Berri has said the 30 or so hostages had bee taken off the plane so as to foil any rescue attempt by United States troops on warships patrolling off the Lebanese coast. The captain, John Testrake remained on board. Around the airport.Amal gunmen who have cooperated openly with the Shi'ite hijackers keep guard. In Washington, officials have said they consider Berri, the Lebanese Justice Minister and leader of the Shi'ite Amal militia as a key element in settling the crisis, which many fear could drag on. The Shi'ites want Israel to release over 700 prisoners taken from Southern Lebanon in return for the hostages. But Israel has said it considers the crisis a US officials have said they would not cede to pressure, though the military option appears increasingly unlikely.
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