Kidnaper Freed by Germany Back in Beirut

BEIRUT — Lebanese kidnaper Abbas Hamadi, deported by Germany after serving half of a 13-year prison sentence, arrived home in Lebanon on Friday.

Abdul Hadi Hamadi, Abbas’ elder brother and security chief in the pro-Iranian movement Hezbollah (Party of God), was at the airport, apparently to meet his brother, who left by an entrance out of sight of journalists.

Hamadi was sentenced in Germany for kidnaping two German businessmen in Beirut in an attempt to force the German government to release his younger brother, Mohammed Ali, who is serving a life term in the 1985 hijacking of a TWA airliner and the killing of U.S. Navy sailor Robert Stethem during the hijacking.

German officials say there are no plans to release Mohammed, 29, who must serve at least 15 years before coming up for possible release.

Washington has no direct interest in Abbas Hamadi but has been watching the case because his brother killed a U.S. citizen. The U.S. Embassy declined comment.

Abbas Hamadi was convicted and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 1988 for kidnaping. He was released early under a law that permits a foreigner to be freed and immediately deported.

There has been widespread speculation that Hamadi was freed as part of a deal that led to the release of German hostages in Lebanon. The German government denied there were any agreements.