[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 253 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

  2d Session
S. RES. 253

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 30, 1996

  Mr. D'Amato (for himself, Mr. Dole, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Nickles, Mr. 
Murkowski, and Mr. Hatch) submitted the following resolution; which was 
                        considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Urging the detention and extradition to the United States by the 
appropriate foreign government 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 ``kidnaping 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;
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 kidnapers]'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate 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>