Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XXIV, North Africa

143. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassies in Lebanon and Algeria¹

16233.

Washington, January 17, 1985, 1701Z

For Ambassadors from U.S. Armacost. Subject: Démarche Regarding Reported Islamic Jihad Plans to put U.S. Citizens on Trial.

1. (S—Entire text.)

2. This is an action message.

3. Addressees will have seen by now media reports of January 14 Islamic Jihad statement regarding the U.S. kidnap victims.² An anonymous caller to Beirut news agencies claimed Islamic Jihad’s responsibility for the death of two French ceasefire observers the same day and indicated that the five Americans who had been kidnapped in Lebanon would be tried as CIA spies. According to the January 14 Reuter version of the report, the caller is quoted as having said the following: Quote We wish to notify (State Department Spokesman) Alan Romberg that William Buckley, Jeremy Levin, Benjamin Weir, Peter Kilburn and Lawrence Jenco³ are now in our custody preliminary to trying them as spies . . . these people are using journalism, education and religion as a cover and are in fact agents in the CIA. They have exploited the hospitality accorded to them by Islamic areas to persist in their subversive activities and will get the punishment they deserve . . . the two French spies were liquidated this morning after they were caught red-handed spying on our youths and positions in the Islamic suburb as part of their mission to monitor the movements of our youths and report to Atlantic, Israeli and Falangist intelligence. Unquote.

4. Addressees should approach host governments at appropriately high levels as soon as possible and deliver démarches based on the talking points provided below.⁴ Talking points for use with the Syrians will follow by septel.

— The United States Government views with the utmost gravity and concern the January 14 statement by Islamic Jihad in Beirut that the five Americans kidnapped in Lebanon will be tried as spies.

— It goes without saying that there is absolutely no truth to the charge that these citizens have used journalism, education and religion as a cover for spying. Nevertheless, some of the kidnap victims have been in the hands of the terrorists now for almost a year. Their suffering and that of their families is beyond words.

— We do not, however, wish to engage in a debate with terrorists about the lives of our citizens. This latest threat contravenes all civilized norms of human behavior and common decency, as well as Islamic injunctions regarding hospitality and the treatment of guests.

— Clearly the lives of these five innocent Americans are now in jeopardy. There is no time left for patience. We call upon your government to do everything it can to effect the safe release of the Americans. We have asked for your help in the past, but we may now be running out of time. It is essential that we redouble all efforts to secure the release of these innocent people to their families. We urge you in the strongest terms to take every possible measure you can to free our people.

— Should harm come to these five Americans, the United States would have to take actions which it deems appropriate.

5. FYI only. We are making a separate approach to Iran through the Swiss to let the Iranians know that we will hold them directly responsible should any harm come to our people.

6. Beirut minimize considered.

Shultz

1. Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, N850001–0457. Secret; Immediate; Nodis. Drafted by Stanton (NEA/ARN); cleared by Murphy, Raphel, Mack, Oakley, McNeil, Twetten (CIA), Samuel Krys (M), Poindexter, Platt, Cassius Johnson (S/S–O), and Pelletreau; approved by Armacost. Sent for information Immediate to Kuwait City, Bern, Damascus, and Riyadh.
2. In telegram 268 from Beirut January 15, the Embassy transmitted the text of the statement. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D850031–0107)
3. CIA Station Chief William Buckley and Jeremy (Jerry) Levin, the Beirut Bureau Chief of Cable News Network, were kidnapped in March 1984; the Reverend Benjamin Weir, a Presbyterian missionary, was kidnapped in May 1984; American University in Beirut Librarian Peter Kilburn, disappeared and was assumed kidnapped in December 1984; and Father Lawrence Jenco, the Director of Catholic Relief Services, was kidnapped on January 5.
4. In telegram 345 from Algiers, January 20, the Embassy reported that Ayat had “listened closely” to the démarche “and said kidnappers had assured Algerians some time ago that no rpt no physical harm would come to the hostages (Buckley, Weir, Levin). GOA would send someone to Lebanon January 22 and would make maximum effort to secure release of those held. He hoped to have a report the first part of February.” The Embassy commented: “Despite frustrations, GOA gives every evidence that it is going to keep trying.” (Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S Records, 1985 Nodis Telegrams: Lot 95D025, Algiers #1, Nodis 1985, Jan 5 thru Sept. 22) On February 11, the Embassy in Algeria reported: “Algeria is in direct contact with Hizballah group holding the hostages and that latter maintain their demand for the release of the three Lebanese prisoners held by Kuwait” who had been convicted of the December 12, 1983, truck bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait. Although the Algerians worried that “something may have happened to Weir” since he was being held by another group, they agreed “to maintain dialogue with Hizbollah to continue to seek release of Americans without conditions.” (Telegram 770 from Algiers; ibid.)