Vanderbilt Television News Archive

(Studio: Dan Rather) Report introduced.

(Wiesbaden: Peter Van Sant) Release of Lebanon hostage Terry Anderson featured; scenes of him at Damascus, Syria, press conference, excerpt of videotape showing Anderson reading statement from his captors, scenes of freed hostages Joseph Cicippio and Alann Steen shown. [ANDERSON - talks about his captivity.] [CICIPPIO - comments on Anderson's release.] [US Air Force Hospital Dr. Uwe FOHLMEISTER - talks about Steen's medical condition.]

(New York: Richard Threlkeld) Celebration of Anderson's release at AP headquarters, at Mass by former hostage Father Lawrence JENCO, and in Anderson's home town of Batavia, New York, featured; scenes shown. [AP William AHEARN, JENCO - comment on Anderson's release.] [Cousin Tom ANDERSON - expresses anger toward captors.]

(Studio: Dan Rather) Anderson said to have no news about two German hostages still held. Report introduced.

(Pentagon: David Martin) Favorable political climate enabling the release of the hostages featured; recent changes in the Middle East and USSR reviewed. [Middle East expert Geoffrey KEMP - comments on desire of Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani to ingratiate themselves to the Western world.] State Department quoted saying United States release to Iran of millions of dollars at the time of the hostage releases was "coincidence." [On "CBS This Morning", former National Security Adviser Gary SICK - comments on coincidence.] State Department reported denying Iran's claim that the US promised not to retaliate against the hostage holders. [In January 1989, President BUSH - says "good will begets good will."] Deal between Israel and the kidnappers mentioned.