[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 105 (Wednesday, August 3, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 3, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           CONDEMNING RECENT ACTS OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM

  Mr. METZENBAUM. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to be 
permitted to send a resolution to the desk and that it be immediately 
considered. The resolution has been cleared by the Foreign Relations 
Committee, and cleared as far as other Members of the Senate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 247) condemning the recent acts of 
     international terrorism committed against Jewish communities 
     in Argentina, Panama, and Great Britain, and for other 
     purposes.

  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. METZENBAUM. Mr. President, I rise along with Senators Grassley, 
Wellstone, Pell, Mikulski, Moynihan, and Leahy to submit a resolution 
regarding the recent series of terrorist attacks in Argentina, Panama, 
and Great Britain.
  I rise because these attacks, directed against Jewish targets, were 
intended to derail the Middle East peace process precisely at a time 
when that process is moving forward.
  On September 13, 1993, Israelis and Palestinians came together here 
in Washington to begin a new era of peace. It was a major step in the 
process begun in Madrid 3 years ago.
  On July 27, 1994, we witnessed another monumental step forward when 
Prime Minister Rabin and King Hussein jointly declared an end to 46 
years of hostilities before this Congress.
  These historic events, and the weeks leading up to them, were 
tragically marred by a series of terrorist bombings over a period of 9 
days.
  On July 18, a delivery van parked in front of Buenos Aires' central 
Jewish community offices, entirely demolishing the building. It is 
reported that the van had to have been packed with nearly a quarter-ton 
of high explosives.
  Over 100 people were killed; 230 people were wounded.
  The next day, a Panamanian commercial plane was blown out of the sky, 
killing 21 people. Less than a week later, a car parked in front of the 
Israeli Embassy in London exploded, severely damaging the Embassy and 
wounding 14 people.
  The next morning another car bomb wounded five people at a London 
Jewish community center.
  In just 9 days, four bombs killed 121 people, and wounded 249 others.
  Mr. President, some think that the hand behind these bombings resides 
in Tehran. Some say Damascus. The investigation is proceeding on many 
fronts, and in many countries.
  Mr. President, I want to take special note of the bombing in 
Argentina.
  The death toll was by far the greatest in Buenos Aires history--
although these outrages cannot be measured by mere numbers.
  Senator Wellstone and I recently met with the leader of Argentina's 
Jewish community.
  He conveyed to us the sense of fear hanging over his community as a 
result of the bombing. People do not know when they might next become 
targets. I am sure that similar situations exist in Panama and in Great 
Britain.
  But he conveyed another message.
  Apparently, over 100,000 Argentineans turned out--in the pouring 
rain--to express their outrage at the bombing. The reaction of the 
average Argentinian in the Buenos Aires rally is truly heartening.
  I am informed that the Government of President Carlos Menem is 
energetically pursuing justice in this case. This official reaction is 
also heartening.
  Mr. President, fighting terrorism is an international effort. But 
nations victimized by terrorism must take the lead in bringing 
perpetrators of specific incidents to justice.
  They must also aggressively move to prevent further incidents within 
their borders.
  I believe that the public and private reactions in Argentina indicate 
that it will be a truly inhospitable place for future terrorist 
endeavors.
  Mr. President, we extend our condolences to families of the victims, 
and our support to those charged with bringing the guilty to justice.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Senators Robb, 
Lautenberg, and Dole be added as cosponsors.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, I am pleased to cosponsor the resolution 
that condemns recent terrorist acts taken against Jews and Jewish 
communities in Argentina, Panama, and Great Britain. These terrorist 
activities have caused the deaths of more than 100 people and the 
injury of hundreds more.
  The attacks on the Jewish community center in Argentina, the plane in 
Panama, and the Israeli Embassy, and Jewish community center in England 
were carefully planned. And their timing seems to be directly related 
to the progress that has been achieved in the peace process, first with 
the Palestinian Liberation Organization and very recently with Jordan. 
I salute the efforts of everyone who has been willing to put aside 
decades of mistrust in an effort to bring peace to an important part of 
the world. The peace process is producing tremendous results that would 
have been unimaginable only a few years ago. However, terrorist 
organizations that are increasingly at odds with the positive 
developments in the Middle East are employing terrible means to try to 
halt that process.
  The recent incidents are cause for great concern even apart from the 
human toll that has already occurred. These attacks were bold, involved 
new tactics, were planned out systematically, and took place thousands 
of miles from the Middle East. Fortunately, authorities in each of the 
affected countries are acting swiftly to investigate and hopefully 
apprehend the responsible persons. For instance, an Argentine judge has 
investigated leads tying the bombing in his country to Iran.
  Also worthy of praise is Israel's reaction to these horrible 
incidents. Prime Minister Rabin has stated that the desire for peace 
will prevail despite the efforts of those who use terrorism to halt 
peace. Terrorists will not weaken Israel's resolve.
  Nonetheless, I am deeply concerned that Jewish organizations and 
facilities anywhere in the world may be subjected to terrorist acts. 
That includes America. As Middle East expert Bruce Hoffman recently 
stated:

       After the World Trade Center bombing in New York, we are 
     finally getting U.S. officials to take terrorism seriously. 
     And this is serious: You could have synagogues and Jewish day 
     schools and community centers being bombed across America. 
     That is the meaning of Buenos Aires, Panama, and London.

  Mr. President, recent diplomatic successes in the Middle East give 
all Americans reasons to celebrate. However, extremists have repeatedly 
shown that they will take brutal action in an effort to stop progress. 
Those who commit terrorist acts must recognize that their efforts to 
destroy the peace process will fail. Governments around the world will 
bring those who perpetrate such terrible crimes to justice. And I urge 
my colleagues to support the resolution of the Senator from Ohio.
  Mr. METZENBAUM. Mr. President, I ask that the Senate move forward.
  The PRESIDING OFFICE. Is there further debate on the resolution? If 
not, the question is on agreeing to the resolution.
  The resolution was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 247), with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 247

       Whereas on September 13, 1993, Israel and the Palestinian 
     Liberation Organization opened a new era of Middle East peace 
     negotiations;
       Whereas on July 27, 1994, Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom 
     of Jordan declared their 46-year state of hostilities at an 
     end, giving additional momentum to the Middle East peace 
     process;
       Whereas radical groups have repeatedly pledged to derail 
     the peace process through terrorist acts in the Middle East 
     and around the world;
       Whereas on July 18, 1994, more than 100 people were killed 
     and 230 were wounded when a bomb exploded outside a Jewish 
     community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina;
       Whereas on July 19, 1994, 21 people, more than one-half of 
     whom were Jewish businessmen, were killed when their aircraft 
     was destroyed by a bomb over Colon, Panama;
       Whereas on July 26, 1994, 14 people were wounded when a 
     bomb exploded outside the Embassy of Israel in London, Great 
     Britain; and
       Whereas on July 27, 1994, 5 people were wounded when a bomb 
     exploded outside a Jewish community center in London, Great 
     Britain: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That--
       (1) the Senate condemns the continued use of violence to 
     pursue political objectives;
       (2) the Senate condemns the worldwide targeting of Jewish 
     communities by terrorists determined to disrupt the Middle 
     East peace process;
       (3) the Senate commends the people of Argentina, of Panama, 
     and of Great Britain for the outrage they expressed in 
     response to these acts of terror; and
       (4) the Senate recognizes the efforts of Argentina, Panama, 
     and Great Britain to investigate these terrorist incidents, 
     urges their governments to commit any resources necessary to 
     apprehend the perpetrators, and urges adoption of any lawful 
     measures to prevent a recurrence of such horrible acts.
  Mr. METZENBAUM. Mr. President, I move to reconsider the vote.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. I move to lay that motion on the table.
  The motion to lay on the table was agreed to.
  Mr. METZENBAUM. I thank the Chair. I thank the floor manager.

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