[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 329 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]






106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 329

     Urging the Government of Argentina to pursue and punish those 
responsible for the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in 
                        Buenos Aires, Argentina.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             June 28, 2000

     Mr. L. Chafee (for himself, Mr. Helms, Mr. Santorum, and Mrs. 
 Hutchison) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Foreign Relations

                             June 28, 2000

                Reported by Mr. Helms, without amendment

                             July 19, 2000

                   Considered, amended, and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Urging the Government of Argentina to pursue and punish those 
responsible for the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in 
                        Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Whereas on July 18, 1994, 86 innocent persons were killed and 300 were wounded 
        when the AMIA Jewish Community Center was bombed in Buenos Aires, 
        Argentina;
Whereas the United States welcomes Argentine President Fernando de la Rua's 
        political will to pursue the investigation of the bombing of the AMIA 
        Jewish Community Center to its ultimate conclusion;
Whereas circumstantial evidence attributes the attack to the terrorist group 
        Hezbollah, based in Lebanon and sponsored by Iran;
Whereas the investigation indicates that this bombing could not have been 
        carried out without assistance from elements of local security forces at 
        the time;
Whereas additional evidence indicates that the tri-border area where Argentina, 
        Paraguay, and Brazil meet was used to channel resources for the purpose 
        of carrying out the bombing attack;
Whereas Argentine officials have acknowledged that there was negligence in the 
        initial phases of the investigation and that the institutional and 
        political conditions must be created to advance the investigation of 
        this terrorist attack;
Whereas on March 17, 1992, terrorists bombed the Embassy of Israel in Buenos 
        Aires, killing 29 persons and injuring more than 200 others, and the 
        Government of Argentina has issued an arrest warrant against a leader of 
        the Islamic Jihad but has not yet brought anyone to justice for that act 
        of terrorism;
Whereas failure to duly punish the culprits of these acts serves to reward these 
        terrorists and help spread terrorism throughout the Western Hemisphere;
Whereas the Government of Argentina was successful in enacting a law on 
        cooperation from defendants in terrorist matters, a law that will be 
        helpful in pursuing full prosecution in this and other terrorist cases;
Whereas the democratic leaders of the Western Hemisphere issued mandates at the 
        1994 and 1998 Summits of the Americas that condemned terrorism in all 
        its forms and that committed governments to combat terrorist acts 
        anywhere in the Americas with unity and vigor; and
Whereas it is the long-standing policy of the United States to stand firm 
        against terrorist attacks wherever and whenever they occur and to work 
        with its allies to ensure that justice is done: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) reiterates its condemnation of the attack on the AMIA Jewish 
        Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994, and remembers 
        the victims of this heinous act;
            (2) strongly urges the Government of Argentina to fulfill its 
        international obligations and other commitments by pursuing the local 
        and international connections to this act of terrorism, wherever they 
        may lead, and to duly punish all those who were involved;
            (3) urges the Government of Argentina to pursue and prosecute any 
        person with ties to Hezbollah or any other terrorist organization;
            (4) calls on the President to raise this issue in bilateral 
        discussions with Argentine officials and to underscore the United States 
        concern regarding the 6-year delay in the resolution of this case;
            (5) recommends that the United States Permanent Representative to 
        the Organization of American States should seek support from the 
        countries comprising the Inter-American Committee Against Terrorism to 
        assist, if requested by the Government of Argentina, in the 
        investigation of this terrorist attack;
            (6) encourages the President to direct United States law enforcement 
        agencies to provide support and cooperation to the Government of 
        Argentina, if requested, for purposes of the investigation into this and 
        other terrorist activities in the tri-border area; and
            (7) desires a lasting and positive relationship between the United 
        States and Argentina based on a mutual commitment to the rule of law and 
        democracy in the Western Hemisphere and mutual abhorrence of terrorism.
    Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy of this resolution 
to the President and the United States Permanent Representative to the 
Organization of American States.
                                 <all>