[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 118 Engrossed in House (EH)]
H. Res. 118
In the House of Representatives, U. S.,
March 30, 1993.
Whereas on November 23, 1985, terrorists hijacked Egypt Air flight 648 and
diverted it to Malta;
Whereas during the hijacking, 60 people were killed, including citizens of 12
countries;
Whereas one of those killed by the terrorists was Scarlett Rogenkamp of
Oceanside, California, who was one of 5 passengers, including 3 United
States citizens, who were shot in the head;
Whereas after investigations, Mohammed Ali Rezaq, a suspected member of the Abu
Nidal Organization, was tried and convicted in Malta on a variety of
charges related to the hijacking, including the willful homicide of
Scarlett Rogenkamp and others, and he was sentenced to a prison term of
25 years;
Whereas the Government of Malta assured the United States Government in
September 1992 that Rezaq would remain in prison until 1996;
Whereas the United States Government immediately began exploring grounds for
further prosecution of Rezeq upon his release in 1996;
Whereas the United States Government learned in February 1993 that the
Government of Malta had, without notice to the United States and other
interested parties, reduced Rezaq's sentence and planned to release him
that month;
Whereas the United States Government and the governments of other countries
whose citizens were killed in the hijacking of Egypt Air flight 648
repeatedly urged the Government of Malta to retain Rezaq in custody or
make arrangements for him to be tried elsewhere;
Whereas on February 12, 1993, because of concern that Rezaq could be released,
the United States District Court for the District of Columbia issued an
arrest warrant for Rezaq, and this warrant was provided to the
Government of Malta in the hope that the Government of Malta would
continue to detain him;
Whereas the Government of Malta brushed aside the requests that had been made by
the governments of the United States and other countries and allowed
Rezaq to fly to another country on short notice; and
Whereas these actions by the Government of Malta undermine the efforts to deter
international terrorists by letting them go free without serving
sentences commensurate with their crimes: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) strongly condemns the release by the Government of Malta of
convicted terrorist Mohammed Ali Rezaq;
(2) believes such action seriously undermines the efforts to foster
good relations between Malta and the United States and undermines the
international and United States efforts to discourage and deter
international terrorism;
(3) urges all governments to cooperate in transferring Rezaq either
to the United States or to another concerned country in order that he
may face additional criminal charges for his involvement in the Egypt
Air hijacking and the murder of innocent civilians;
(4) urges all governments to abide by the rule of law and not
provide safe haven to terrorists in order that terrorism will be met
with the full force of justice and that terrorists will not escape being
held accountable; and
(5) urges the President to review the United States relationship
with Malta, including foreign assistance and economic relations.
Sec. 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall transmit a copy of
this resolution to the Secretary of State with a request that the Secretary
transmit a copy of this resolution to the Government of Malta.
Attest:
Clerk.