U.S. Newsman Kidnaped in Beirut : Lebanese Defense Minister’s Son Also Seized by Gunmen

BEIRUT —  American newsman Charles Glass was kidnaped by 14 gunmen in a suburb of Muslim West Beirut along with the son of Lebanon’s defense minister, police said today.

They said gunmen in four cars intercepted Ali Osseiran’s chauffeured car as he and Glass were traveling the 25 miles back to Beirut from the southern port city of Sidon on Wednesday. They dragged Glass out of the car, hit him with rifle butts and put him in the trunk of a silver Toyota, the police said.

Osseiran, a son of Defense Minister Adel Osseiran, also was taken hostage along with his driver, a Lebanese riot policeman.

“It looks like the kidnapers wanted to grab Glass alone. But Osseiran’s angry protests forced their hand,” a police spokesman said.

First Since Syrian Entry

Glass is the first Westerner kidnaped in Lebanon since Syria sent 7,500 troops to West Beirut on Feb. 22 to quell factional fighting. He is the ninth American currently being held.

Glass, 36, of Los Angeles was a correspondent for ABC-TV from March, 1983, until last March, when he took leave to work on a book about the Middle East. Glass has continued to do free-lance work for ABC.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the abductions.

Glass covered the TWA hijacking in Beirut in 1985 and is best known for an interview with TWA pilot John Testrake in a dramatic scene in which Testrake leaned out the cockpit window as a hijacker held a pistol to his head.

West German television reported that Lebanese security officials think there may be a connection between the interview and the kidnaping of Glass. West Germany is holding Mohammed Ali Hamadi, alleged to be one of the hijackers, and reportedly plans to try him.

Link to Hamadi Case Seen

West Germany’s ZDF network noted the interview with Testrake and said, “Lebanese security officials conclude there might be a connection with the Hamadi case.”

But in Bonn, government officials would not confirm speculation that Glass may have been abducted to prevent him from testifying in a trial of Hamadi. “I suppose it is easy to make the connection,” one Bonn official said, “but it is pure speculation.”

Beirut sources said Glass disappeared before noon Wednesday in the suburb of Ouzai, a stronghold of Iranian-backed Shia Muslim extremists.

In Washington, the State Department released a statement registering concern for the missing men and their families and added, “We will not yield to terrorist blackmail.”

Glass arrived in West Beirut four days ago to gather information for his book, sources said.

Book on Arab World

Glass’ wife, Fiona, said in London that her husband has been “getting material for a book that he’s been writing on the Arab world.” The couple live in London with their five children.

Fiona Glass said her husband is “of Arab extraction and he’s always been very interested in the region. Now, he’s considered a great expert on it.”