'Kidnapped' US marine flown to Germany

A US marine who turned up in Beirut after being missing for 18 days from his base in Iraq was being flown to Germany today for debriefing and examination in a US military hospital.

Corporal Wassef Ali Hassoun, reported missing from his base near the troubled city of Fallujah, arranged with American officials to pick him up yesterday afternoon in Beirut and take him to the US Embassy.