HAMADEI GUILTY OF COMPLICITY IN HOSTAGE DEATH

May 18, 1989

A West German court yesterday convicted a Shiite Muslim guerrilla, Muhammad Ali Hamadei, of complicity to murder and air piracy in the 1985 hijacking of a TWA airliner and sentenced him to life in prison. A United States Navy diver, Robert Stethem, was slain and 39 Americans were held hostage for 17 days during the hijacking.

Mr. Hamadei admitted taking part in the hijacking, but denied any role in the murder of a Stethem, blaming it on an accomplice.