THARWAT MOARBES READS A NEWSPAPER REPORTING HER DAUGHTER'S RELEASE, 2000-08-28 (photo)

Tharwat, the mother of Marie Moarbes - the Lebanese hostage who has been held by rebels in the Philippines for four months - reads a newspaper inside the plane that is taking her to Libya to meet her freed daughter August 28, 2000. Lebanon welcomed the release of five foreigners, including a Lebanese-born Marie, who have been held hostage by Moslem militants in the Philippines since April. "We are delighted, this is wonderful news," Tharwat said. She said she was waiting for the Lebanese authorities to inform her about going to Tripoli to see her daughter. Moarbes, who was granted French citizenship during her captivity on the southern island of Jolo, was among a group of holidaymakers captured by rebels of the Abu Sayyaf group on Easter Sunday, April 23, at a Malaysian diving resort. js/JDP