[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 444 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 444

   Urging the detention and extradition to the United States by the 
  appropriate foreign governments of Mohammed Abbas for the murder of 
                           Leon Klinghoffer.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 29, 1996

 Mr. Forbes submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

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                               RESOLUTION


 
   Urging the detention and extradition to the United States by the 
  appropriate foreign governments of Mohammed Abbas for the murder of 
                           Leon Klinghoffer.

Whereas Mohammed Abbas, alias Abu Abbas, was convicted by a Genoan court in June 
        1986 and sentenced to life in prison, in absentia, for ``kidnapping for 
        terrorist ends that caused the killing of a person'' for his role in the 
        death of an American citizen, Leon Klinghoffer;
Whereas a report from the Italian magistrate who tried the case against Abbas 
        stated that the evidence was ``multiple, unequivocal, and overwhelming'' 
        and that his actions in training and financing for this operation, and 
        in choosing the target, as well as in planning the escape, made Abbas 
        guilty of the murder;
Whereas a warrant for Abbas' arrest was unsealed in October 1985 charging him 
        with hijacking, and a bounty of $250,000 was offered for his arrest;
Whereas the Justice Department felt that it did not have the evidence to convict 
        him, and citing the conviction, albeit in absentia by the Italian 
        authorities, canceled the warrant for his arrest in January 1988; and
Whereas at an April 1996 meeting of the Palestine National Council in Gaza, 
        Abbas described the killing as ``a mistake'' and that Mr. Klinghoffer 
        was killed because he ``had started to incite the passengers against 
        (the kidnappers)'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House that the Attorney 
General should seek, from the appropriate foreign government, the 
detention and extradition to the United States of Mohammed Abbas (also 
known as Abu Abbas) for the murder of Leon Klinghoffer in October 1985 
during the hijacking of the vessel Achille Lauro.
                                 <all>