LEBANON: PROSPECTS FOR HIGGINS RESCUE GROWING DIM

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06932289
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: July 13, 2023
• Document Release Date: May 2, 2022
• Case Number: F-2020-01608
• Publication Date: February 26, 1988

Approved for Release: 2022/04/12 C06932289
Director of
Central
Sa 1,110j- Intelligence
National Intelligence Daily
Friday
26 February 1988
T ecret
CPAS NID 88-046.1X
26 February 1988
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Approved for Release: 2022/04/12 C06932289
Approved for Release: 2022/04/12 C06932289
Contents
Lebanon: Prospects for Higgins Rescue Growing Dim
2
Afghanistatit Rebels Name Head of Interim Government 6
Uganda: Restructuring of Cabinet and Army
Notes
8
USSR-Afghanistan: Keeping Pressure on Pakistan 9
EC: Backs Islamabad on Afghan Settlement Terms 9
Ethiopia: Military Setbacks in the North 11
TSeerf
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Approved for Release: 2022/04/12 C06932289
26 February 1988
 Approved for Release: 2022/04/12 C06932289
LEBANON: Prospects for Higgins Rescue Growing Dim
Chances that Lieutenant Colonel Higgins will be rescued are
fading as time passes and as Amal reconsiders its efforts to find
him. in the 10 days since the kidnaping, Hizballah has had time to
reinforce the security around Higgins and to shift the burden of
guilt onto Amal for trying to release a US "spy."
Meanwhile, crowds at rallies in Beirut orchestrated by Hizballah to
oppose Secretary Shultz's visit to the Middle East yesterday chanted
slogans demanding death to the US and to Higgins. Hizballah
speakers urged confrontation with both the US and the UN to remove
them from Lebanon.
Comment: It is unlikely that Higgins will be found soon. Hizballah
leaders and Iran are now aware he was a former member of Secretary
Weinberger's staff and no doubt assume he has detailed knowledge
of US programs and plans in Lebanon and the Middle East. Amal will
probably continue a cursory search for Higgins but will try to avoid
clashes with Hizballah that could expose its weakness in the south.
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The abduction seems to be part of a larger effort to intensify pressure
on the US, France, and the UN to end their presence in Lebanon, to
resolve hostage issues on Iranian and Hizballah terms, and probably
to obtain the release of Shia terrorists imprisoned in Kuwait.
Hizballah's leaders and their Iranian patrons evidently think the US
and France are particularly vulnerable because of their coming
elections. Hizballah�or parts of it�will probably try more
kidnapings, release videos, possibly free a hostage, and seek other
publicity to jostle the political process in both Washington and Paris.
2 26 February 1988
Approved for Release: 2022/04/12 C06932289