The World - News from Sept. 19, 1986

Nabih Berri, the Lebanese Shia Muslim leader who helped win freedom for 39 hostages seized by Muslim extremists last year on a TWA jet, has no interest in helping to free Americans now held in Beirut, an activist for Arabs in the United States said. Former U.S. Sen James Abourezk said Berri has no desire to help because he feels he was treated badly by Reagan Administration officials in the TWA hijacking case. According to the South Dakota Democrat, Robert C. McFarlane, then President Reagan’s national security adviser, asked Berri, head of the Amal militia, to intervene in the hijacking and promised to work for the release of Israeli-held prisoners in return. McFarlane denied making any such promises.