November 25, 1985

A former communications specialist for the National Security Agency was arrested early this morning and charged with spying for the Soviet Union. The arrest of the former specialist, Ronald William Pelton, 44 years old, was part of what officials described as an unprecedented crackdown on foreign spies working in the United States. Three other people were arrested on espionage charges in the last four days. It was not immediately clear whether Mr. Pelton was accused of spying for the Soviet Union while employed at agency, the nation's largest and most secretive intelligence agency. It intercepts and monitors sensitive communications around the world.

Under pressure from several highly organized and sometimes strident neighborhood organizations, some of this city's larger corporations are being asked to play a major and growing role in housing, educating and employing the poor. And in many cases the Hartford companies are responding with more cash and more community support than ever before. ''There are limits to what we can do, but we are stretching them every day,'' said Alison G. Coolbrith, vice president for corporate public involvement at Aetna Life and Casualty, Hartford's largest private employer. ''The private sector here is doing a remarkable job,'' said Alfred A. Gatta, the Hartford City Manager. Old and New Coexist Hartford, the state capital, is an urban paradox. Bright, new offices rise above grimy tenements. The white-collar employees of more than a half-dozen major banks and insurance companies coexist with the jobless and destitute.

Capt. Hani Galal, his head bandaged and dried bloodstains on his pilot's uniform, early today staunchly defended Egypt's storming of the Boeing 737 in which at least 50 people died. ''Our only hope was storming the airplane,'' Captain Galal, a pilot for 15 years, said. ''The hijackers were very desperate and bloodthirsty people. I think with such people we need to take no chances.'' At a dramatic news conference after midnight, Captain Galal, 39 years old, recounted the 24-hour ordeal in the cockpit of Egyptair Flight 648, describing how at one point he hit a hijacker with an ax.

At least 50 passengers aboard a hijacked Egyptair jetliner were killed here Sunday night when Egyptian special forces stormed the plane and the hijackers retaliated by tossing three grenades at the passengers, the authorities here said. The grenades set off an inferno, filling the Boeing 737 airliner with flame and thick smoke as Egyptian troops blasted their way into the plane through its baggage hold and poured gunfire down the cramped cabin, where passengers had been held in terror for nearly 24 hours. Three American passengers were reported aboard the plane and one of them, a woman, was reportedly killed by the hijackers before the assault began. Plane Left From Athens Airport The plane was hijacked Saturday night, shortly after it took off from the Athens airport on its way to Cairo. The Egyptian troops stormed the plane at 8:15 Sunday night, (2:15 P.M. Sunday, Eastern standard time). The operation lasted no more than 10 minutes, the Maltese Government said.

The six transit police officers charged in the 1983 death of Michael Stewart, who lapsed into a coma while in police custody and died 13 days later, were acquitted of all charges yesterday before an emotional crowd in State Supreme Court in Manhattan. Dozens of transit officers in the gallery cupped their hands over their faces in relief as the jury foreman, Monika Millard Cox, said ''not guilty'' to each count. The defendants immediately hugged and kissed their attorneys. Cheers and Epithets After the last defendant had heard his verdict, at about 3:15 P.M., the entire right side of the courtroom, where the defendants' families and colleagues sat, erupted with cheers and applause. But minutes later, as the officers drove away from the courthouse, about 100 protesters, shouting angrily and banging on their car hoods, heckled and jeered them.