U.S. POWs Checked By Doctor

A doctor on Tuesday checked three U.S. soldiers held captive for a month by Belgrade, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson said he was heading to Yugoslavia to seek their release.

International Committee of the Red Cross President Cornelio Sommaruga described the three as outwardly healthy during a brief meeting with them Monday.

Chris Bowers of the ICRC said the men were met in private Tuesday, had checkups and gave messages to the Red Cross that will be relayed "immediately ... straight to their families."

Bowers said the Red Cross was promised regular access now to the prisoners, that the visit conformed to Geneva conventions for POWs, but that details on their health and conditions would not be made public.

On Monday, Stone's father shouted "Yippee!" when told that his son had received a visit from the head of the International Red Cross and seemed well.

Stone, a native of Smiths Creek, Mich., and two other soldiers had been held incommunicado since Yugoslav forces captured them March 31 near the Macedonia border.

Sommaruga told Tricia Stone that her husband was "very coherent, understood what was going on, and really paid attention," according to Lisa McKinney, who was present when her daughter received the call.

Sommaruga also described the three servicemen as out of touch to the point that "they didn't realize they were considered POWs," Ms. McKinney said.

Sommaruga was able to give the soldiers letters from their relatives and handed them forms to write messages to their families.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson said Monday that he will lead a delegation of 20 religious leaders to Yugoslavia and make a direct "moral appeal" to Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic for the release of the captured soldiers.

The other Americans held by Yugoslavia are Andrew A. Ramirez, 24, of Los Angeles; and Spc. Steven M. Gonzales, 21, of Huntsville, Texas.

The Red Cross previously had been denied access to the soldiers, who were captured March 31-- a week after NATO began its air campaign against Yugoslavia.

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