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( The hostages arrived in the Syrian capital on Sunday evening to face a crowd of reporters and the ubiquitous television crews that had become integral players in the long ordeal. Serving in his role as spokesman for the hostage group once again, Oil Executive Allyn Conwell tactfully thanked Syrian President Hafez Assad, whose portrait hung over the speaker's table, for his negotiating efforts. Said Conwell: "For anyone and everyone who has prayed for us, talked for us, waited for us, hoped for us, we thank you from the bottom of our heart." As for the hijackers, he added, "I don't seek any retaliation or revenge. I think all of the men here would like to see justice prevail." All of the hostages who spoke seemed to feel some empathy for the Amal militiamen who had taken over custody of them from the original hijackers. They said they had learned a lot and been well treated in captivity. After 20 minutes, pleading exhaustion, Conwell cut off questioning and the group left for Damascus Airport.
After the hostages had cleared Middle East airspace, Reagan appeared on nationwide television to deliver a brief address that combined relief and anger. "We can be thankful that our faith, courage and firmness have paid off, but this is no moment for celebration," said the President. "The U.S. gives terrorists no rewards and no guarantees. We make no concessions; we make no deals," he went on. "Nations that harbor terrorists undermine their own stability and endanger their own people.
"Terrorists, be on notice: we will fight back against you in Lebanon and elsewhere," the President warned. "We will fight back against your cowardly attacks on American citizens and property. We call upon the world community to strengthen its cooperation to stamp out this ugly, vicious evil of terrorism." How strongly the President felt was revealed by a remark he made into an open mike before his statement: " After seeing Rambo last night, I know what to do next time it happens."
From Damascus the hostages were to be flown to Rhein-Main Air Base, near Frankfurt, then taken to a U.S. military hospital at Wiesbaden for medical checkups. This route to freedom was hauntingly familiar. The U.S. embassy personnel who were held captive for 444 days by militants in Iran had followed virtually the same routine in 1981.
Shortly before the hostages started off on their momentous journey home, the Israeli Cabinet was holding its regular Sunday meeting in Jerusalem. It took no action, at least officially, on the continued detention of 745 Lebanese civilians, most of them Shi'ites, whom Israel has held at Atlit prison since its withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The Israelis thus preserved both their own and Washington's stipulation -- and virtual fiction -- that there could be no direct linkage between the release of the American hostages and the Lebanese prisoners, as the hijackers had demanded.