Plea on Vanunu

Four Americans who were Middle East hostages called yesterday for Israel to release Mordechai Vanunu, an Israeli technician now serving his eighth year in prison for disclosing details of his country's secret nuclear weapons programme, Reuter reports from Washington.

Terry Anderson, Charles Glass, Jeremy Levin and Father Lawrence Jenco, said they did not necessarily condone Vanunu's action, but sought his release on humanitarian grounds.