Terry Anderson: US journalist held hostage in Lebanon for years dies at 76

Terry Anderson, a US journalist who was held captive for nearly seven years during Lebanon’s civil war, has passed away at the age of 76. Anderson served as the chief Middle East correspondent for the Associated Press (AP) when he was captured by Islamist militants in 1985, a period known as the Lebanon hostage crisis.

His daughter, Sulome Anderson, mentioned that he found peace in his later years after facing complications from heart surgery. Despite the challenges he endured during his captivity, he focused on humanitarian efforts, including his work with the Vietnam Children’s Fund, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and support for homeless veterans.

Louis Boccardi, who led AP during Anderson’s captivity, also described him as a “hero,” emphasizing Anderson’s courage and resilience. Anderson’s abduction in Beirut in 1985, following a game of tennis on his day off, marked the beginning of his harrowing ordeal. His sister, Peggy Say, who advocated fiercely for his release and that of other captives, passed away in 2015.

The Lebanon hostage crisis involved over 100 hostages, mainly from the US and western Europe, including Terry Waite, a Church of England envoy who was also held captive alongside Anderson. Terry Waite was eventually released in 1991 after 1,763 days in captivity.