Military

DATE=10/15/00

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=HEZBOLLAH / LEBANON (S-O) CQ

NUMBER=2-268009

BYLINE=EDWARD YERANIAN

DATELINE=BEIRUT

INTERNET=YES

CONTENT=

////// ADDS ISRAELI STATEMENTS TO INTRO OF CR2-268007. //////

INTRO: The leader of Lebanon's pro-Iranian Hezbollah group, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, says the Israeli colonel his group holds was captured on Lebanese soil and not in Switzerland. Israel says the captive is a reserve army colonel kidnapped on a business trip in Europe. Edward Yeranian reports from Beirut.

TEXT: Sheikh Nasrallah told journalists that the Israeli colonel being held by the Hezbollah was captured while travelling in Lebanon with a false passport.

Sheikh Nasrallah says the captive is an officer in the Mossad. The sheikh said Hezbollah tricked the officer into coming to Lebanon, where he planned to infiltrate the group. Israeli officials said the man was kidnapped in Switzerland.

Sheikh Nasrallah said his group is prepared to trade the Israeli colonel and three soldiers Hezbollah captured earlier for Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

It is not clear how many prisoners Hezbollah is seeking in exchange for the four Israelis it holds, but at least 19 Lebanese are thought to be held by Israel.

Hezbollah captured three Israeli soldiers in a commando operation inside the disputed Sheba'a farms border region nine-days ago. (SIGNED)

NEB/EY/RAE