Hostages Out... Reagan In
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.. .Murder in Liberty — page 7 VOL XV, NO. 74 an independent student newspaper serving notre dame and samt mary’s WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 21,1981 Hostagesout... Reagan in Warm w elcom e greets 52 Americans President pledges in Weisbaden West Germany strength, austerity By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON (AP) - Ronald Reagan became President of the Fifty-two freed American hostages arrived in West Germany early United States yesterday, promising Wednesday, ending a 444-day ordeal as hostages in Iran and a 12-hour “an era of national renewal" at home flight from Tehran via Athens and Algiers. and restraint but never surrender At a stopover at Algiers’ wind-swept airport, Algerian officials ficials, abroad. His inauguration blended acting as intermediaries, formally turned the former captives over to the passage of power with a passage U.S. authorities in a brief and joyous ceremony. to freedom for 52 American The American^, one flashing a V-for-victory sign and another shout s i I hostages. ing “God bless America," then flew aboard two U.S. medical evacua “They are now free of Iran," said tion planes to West Germany for a period of rest and "decompression" Reagan, little more than two hours at a U.S. Air Force hospital. after his inauguration. The Medevac DC 9s touched down at the Rhein-Main Air Base near As Jimm y C arter yielded the Frankfurt at 12:45 a.m. EST this morning. Their next trip will be to the presidency, Iran yielded at last the United States. captives it had held for 444 days. They had flown out of Tehran aboard an Algerian airliner 25 And so the celebration for Reagan, minutes after Ronald Reagan succeeded Jimmy Carter as president at the parade, pageantry, music, can noon yesterday in inauguration ceremonies in Washington. And as non salutes, became a celebration of they were led to the plane, one at a time, a group of Iran's revolution their freedom, too. ary guards crowded around, waving their fists and chanting, “Death to At the hour of inauguration, the America!” promise of freedom had not become All Abdelaziz, an Algerian protocol officer who was on the flight the fact of freedom, and Reagan did from Tehran, said when the hostages were safely aboard the plane not mention the hostages in the 20- “they let their joy explode. They began to shout, to sing.” minute address he directed to "this Cheers rose from hundreds of U.S. military personnel and civilians breed called Americans," gathered at the Rhine-Main base as the 52 left the DC 9s and boarded countrymen he described as the buses for the 20 mile trip to the Air Force hospital at Wiesbaden. heroes of the land. More cheers went up from people packing the terrace and two bal But the liberation of the captive conies of the three story hospital as the two buses, escorted by more Americans was the focus of his last than a dozen German police cruisers and U.S. military cars, entered briefings by Carter, and his first the driveway The grinning ex hostages formed a single line to make hours as the 40th president. their way through the crowd and entered the hospital. And so the announcement the na A delegation led by former Secretary of State Cyrus Vance, who tion awaited came in his toast to headed the State Department when the U.S. Embassy and hostages congressional leaders at a traditional were seized on Feb. 4, 1979, and Ambassador Walter J. Sotessel Capitol luncheon. formed a receiving line to greet the 52. "And now to conclude the toast, Carter, unable to win the hostage’s freedom in the closing hours of with thanks to almighty God, I have “his watch” because of last minute delays, was scheduled to fly to been given a tag line, the get offline Wiesbaden later today as President Reagan’s envoy. that everyone wants for the end of a In anticipation of the release o f the American hostages, students “U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A.” cheered the throng at the West German air toast o r a speech o r anything else. decorated trees with yellow ribbons as a gesture to welcome the base, with many people waving small American flags. The former “Some 30 minutes ago, the planes hostages back. (Photo by Rachel Blount) prisoners were served a turkey dinner on the 1,250-mile flight from See PRESIDENT, page4 Algiers to Frankfurt. They had left Tehran at 12:25 p.m. EST yesterday and after a refuel ing stop in Athens, Greece, their Algerian Boeing 727 landed in Algiers about 7 1/2 hours later. A second Boeing 727 that carried the One of 52 Americans’ luggage and a smaller jet with the Algerian diplomats who had served as go-betweens in the long and often frustrating negotia tions completed the three plane mission. ND’s Ahem In 95 hectic minutes televised back to the U.S., the freed captives disembarked from the Algerian craft and were greeted with hugs and By PAUL McGINN menjber of the Wranglers and Book Both Mary and Michael said they tears, closing the final chapter in a hostage holding episode without News Staff men, two literary discussion groups, believed that the incident brought precedent in modern diplomatic history. and was a student who repeatedly the family closer together. Kathryn Koob and Elizabeth Ann Swift, the only women hostages, Now that the American hostages appeared on the Dean’s list. He Michael had no objection to the disembarked first, each wearing in her hair yellow ribbons — the sym have been released, the Notre Dame earned his B A. degree in journalism. U.S. government’s handling of the bol from a popular song, "Tie a Yellow Ribbon ’Round the Old Oak community awaits news of Thomas ***************** situation, but Mary questioned the Tree," which came to symbolize America’s wait for the captives held Ahern, class of 1954. aborted rescue attempt of last April. 444 days. , According to a New York Times She expressed her gratitude to the Next came Bruce Laingcn, the charge d’affaires who had been the Day 444: release article of Dec 7, 1979, Ahern’s in men who lost their lives in the at top diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran when it was seized Nov. 4, volvement in Iran began on June 22, ★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★ tempt and to their families, but ind 1979. The other hostages followed in quick succession, waving and 1979, when he arrived at the U.S. After leaving Notre Dame, Ahern icated that the risks were far greater sm iling Embassy in Tehran, but events entered military service. After than the possible rewards. One made a “V for Victory” sign at the television cameras, which surrounding Ahern’s position at the completing a stint, he applied to the To Mary, the negotiations carried carried the arrival in Algiers live to the U.S. embassy are sketchy at best. While State Department. Since that time he out the best possible solution to the Deputy Secretary of State Warren Christopher, who headed the U.S. the U.S. upheld Ahern’s diplomatic has traveled to the Philippines, situation. team that negotiated the final release agreement, and U.S. Ambassador status, Iranian students accused Japan, Nigeria, and Cambodia as a Both of the students criticized the to Algeria Ulrich Haynes, greeted the hostages as they left the Boeing Ahern of being a narcotics control U.S. diplomat. Ahern’s family has press. They said that after the 727 of the Algerian airline. agent and of interfering with Iranian seen him very little since he joined aborted helicopter rescue attempt, t he group moved into the airport’s VIP lounge, where Algerian domestic policies. the department over 20 years ago. members of the press called Thomas Foeign Minister Mohamed Benyahia, smiling and relaxed despite The militants charged that Ahern While a member of the State Ahern's home at 5 a.m. Another inci several sleepless nights over last minute negotiations, said: had two passports, one American, Department, he made his home in dent they objected to occurred last "It Is my duty at this moment to deliver your fellow citizens to the other Belgian. The Belgian pas the Washington suburb of McLean, Christmas when some media people you, Mr.Christopher, who officially represent the American govern sport, said to have been found in Virginia. waited on the front steps of their ment here.” Ahern’s desk, contained the picture Thomas Ahern is the uncle of Mic home for ten hours to interview a There was a round of applause from the freed hostages and Algerian of a man resembling Ahern, yet the hael and Mary Ahern, two Notre member of the Ahern family. and U.S. officials. name given was Paul Timmermans. Dame-students. As Michael summed it up, "They “I have the great honor and privilege in affirming that you are back It was speculated that the Belgian When asked about the ending of the (the press) think we’re the first to home and safely In our hands," Christopher responded. passport allowed Ahern greater ordeal, Michael replied that this know." "This event answers our prayers and we are more than delighted to mobility and permitted him to period is a time of relief since “the According to Mary and Michael, accept the responsibility of seeing to it that you return to your homes rem ain in Iran for up to 90 days w ith family stayed pretty quiet” during the worst times for the family during and families." out securing a visa (which an the crisis, and Mary added that the the ordeal were the first Thanksgiv American passport would require).