[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 329 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







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 and Mr. Helms) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               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 former elements of local security 
        forces;
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 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 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 commitments and its promise 
        to the Argentine people 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>