Abducted Swiss Diplomat Freed in Beirut

BEIRUT â€”  Swiss Charge d’Affaires Eric Wehrli, abducted last week in Beirut, was released unharmed Monday when members of the Shia Muslim militia Amal seized his abductors as they were moving him to a new location, sources in the militia said.

The sources identified the kidnapers as relatives of Hussein Athath, a 21-year-old Lebanese arrested at Zurich airport while carrying explosives in November. He was part of a group of Lebanese, allegedly working for the terrorist group Islamic Jihad, who were said to have been preparing to blow up the U.S. Embassy in Rome.

After his release Monday, Wehrli, 45, was taken to the home of Amal leader and Cabinet minister Nabih Berri, where he said he had not been mistreated and was in good condition.

The Amal sources said the militia had for the last two days watched the West Beirut building where Wehrli had been detained. The militiamen overtook the kidnapers’ car as they were transporting him to another building.