[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 889 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 889

 Condemning the December 11, 2007, terrorist bombings on the people of 
 Algeria and United Nations personnel, and expressing sympathy to the 
                  victims of these terrorist attacks.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 18, 2007

 Mr. Hastings of Florida (for himself, Mr. Delahunt, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. 
   Poe, and Mr. Cohen) submitted the following resolution; which was 
              referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning the December 11, 2007, terrorist bombings on the people of 
 Algeria and United Nations personnel, and expressing sympathy to the 
                  victims of these terrorist attacks.

Whereas on December 11, 2007, two suicide bombers launched terrorist attacks 
        against the people of Algeria and the United Nations, killing and 
        injuring, in twin-car bombs, dozens of people in Algiers, Algeria, at 
        the supreme court, and the offices of the United Nations High 
        Commissioner for Refugees and of the United Nations Development Program;
Whereas reports indicate that the Al-Qaeda Organization in the Land of the 
        Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the 2 attacks in Algiers;
Whereas the toll of victims from these terrorist attacks stands at more than 37 
        dead, over 200 wounded (including school children and college students), 
        and others are missing;
Whereas at least 17 United Nations personnel were killed in the attacks;
Whereas these latest attacks follow multiple suicide attacks in Algeria and 
        Morocco in April 2007, which claimed 33 lives in Algiers, killed a 
        Moroccan police officer, and caused numerous injuries to others;
Whereas Algeria and Morocco are Mediterranean Partners of the Organization for 
        Security and Cooperation in Europe which has among its highest 
        priorities a commitment to combating terrorism;
Whereas Algeria and Morocco have been unwavering in their determination to 
        defeat terrorism, a goal shared by the United States;
Whereas this is not the first time that United Nations personnel have been the 
        deliberate target of terrorists;
Whereas the attacks of December 11, 2007, came 4 years after a truck bomb attack 
        destroyed the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq, in 2003, 
        taking the lives of 22 United Nations staff and wounding more than 150;
Whereas Sergio Vieira de Mello, the Secretary-General's Special Representative 
        for Iraq, was among the victims in the 2003 attack;
Whereas the December 11, 2007, terrorist bombings destroyed the offices of the 
        United Nations Development Program and severely damaged the offices of 
        the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Algiers;
Whereas the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said, 
        ``The UN is an entity that works for world peace, an entity that tries 
        to be an honest broker, especially when dealing with the humanitarian 
        needs of refugees and other victims of violence and persecution.'';
Whereas the United Nations is on the front lines of the war-torn and devastated 
        areas in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South 
        Americas, helping to bring stability to volatile and conflict-ridden 
        regions and promoting humanitarian ideals; and
Whereas, even in the face of this most recent targeted attack, the United 
        Nations will hold firm to its mandate of promoting peace, stability, and 
        human rights: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) strongly condemns the December 11, 2007, terrorist 
        attacks in Algiers, Algeria, and other such attacks against 
        innocents and those who would assist the most vulnerable;
            (2) expresses its heartfelt sympathy for the victims of 
        these terrorist attacks and their families;
            (3) calls on the President to make available all 
        appropriate assistance requested by the Algerian authorities 
        for those affected by this tragedy;
            (4) reaffirms its support for the people of Algeria as they 
        recover from these cowardly and inhumane attacks, and for their 
        continued struggle against extremism and violence;
            (5) expresses its readiness to support and assist the 
        Algerian authorities in their efforts to bring to justice those 
        individuals responsible for the December 11, 2007, attacks in 
        Algiers, Algeria, and to detect, pursue, disrupt, and dismantle 
        the networks that plan and carry out such attacks; and
            (6) supports the United Nations in its efforts to promote 
        peace and to help people who are most in need around the world.
                                 <all>