[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 457 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 457

  Expressing the sense of the Senate that the citizens of the United 
States and the United States Government have serious concerns regarding 
the release of convicted terrorist and murderer Mohammad Ali Hammadi by 
                       the Government of Germany.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 1, 2006

 Mr. Vitter (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Craig, and Mr. 
 Isakson) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
                               agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the Senate that the citizens of the United 
States and the United States Government have serious concerns regarding 
the release of convicted terrorist and murderer Mohammad Ali Hammadi by 
                       the Government of Germany.

Whereas, although the Government of Germany has been a significant partner in 
        combating international terrorism, their release of Mohammad Ali Hammadi 
        was a grave and unfortunate mistake;
Whereas, in 1985, Mr. Hammadi, along with Hasan Izz-Al-Din, Ali Atwa, and Imad 
        Fayez Mugniyah, hijacked Trans World Airlines Flight 847, and 
        subsequently escaped from the scene of the hijacking;
Whereas United States Navy Petty Officer Robert Dean Stethem was singled out 
        during the hijacking of Trans World Airlines Flight 847 because he was a 
        serviceman of the United States, savagely beaten before being executed, 
        and dumped on the tarmac of Beirut International Airport;
Whereas Petty Officer Stethem was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and 
        Purple Heart and buried at Arlington National Cemetery;
Whereas, in 1987, Mr. Hammadi was arrested at Frankfurt Airport while carrying 
        liquid explosives in his luggage;
Whereas, in 1989, Mr. Hammadi, a Shiite militant from Lebanon, was convicted in 
        a court in Germany for the brutal killing of Petty Officer Stethem and 
        was sentenced to life in prison in Germany;
Whereas, after less than 19 years behind bars Mr. Hammadi was released in 
        December 2005 and flown to Lebanon by the Government of Germany even 
        though the United States does not have an extradition treaty with the 
        Government of Lebanon; and
Whereas the release of Mr. Hammadi came in the face of strong opposition from 
        the United States Government, and Petty Officer Stethem's parents were 
        not even informed in advance that the killer of their son was to be 
        released; Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the unfortunate actions of the Government of Germany 
        with respect to Mohammad Ali Hammadi have undermined the joint 
        efforts by the United States Government and the Government of 
        Germany to effectively combat international terrorism;
            (2) the early release of Mr. Hammadi sends a signal of 
        weakness to terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and could 
        increase the likelihood of further terrorist attacks against 
        the citizens of Europe and the rest of the world;
            (3) the United States Government should continue to call on 
        the Government of Lebanon to hand over Mr. Hammadi and other 
        known terrorists so that they may face trial in the United 
        States;
            (4) the United States Government should take all 
        appropriate steps to secure the arrest of Mr. Hammadi and his 
        fellow hijackers and their transfer to the United States for 
        trial; and
            (5) the murderers of United States Navy Petty Officer 
        Robert Dean Stethem must be brought to justice, and a clear 
        message must be sent to the international community that the 
        brutal murder of service members or civilians of the United 
        States will neither be tolerated nor forgotten.
                                 <all>