[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 5, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H1700-H1701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FARRAKHAN'S MIDDLE EAST TRIP CHALLENGES NATIONAL SECURITY
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the
gentleman from Georgia [Mr. Barr] is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. BARR of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, recently a gentleman named Louis
Farrakhan toured over a dozen African and Middle Eastern countries,
including Libya, Nigeria, Iraq, and Iran. During Mr. Farrakhan's trips
abroad, and specifically during his trip to Libya, Libyan strong man
and known terrorist Mu'ammar Qadhafi pledged $1 billion to Mr.
Farrakhan's Nation of Islam to be used here in this country to, I
believe, improperly influence the American political system.
By the pledges and statements made by strong man Qadhafi, the
following laws may have been broken, and further may have been broken
by Mr. Farrakhan himself: the Foreign Agents Registration Act; the
Libyan sanctions regulations; restrictions on campaign contributions
and expenditures by foreign nationals; passport travel restrictions;
and the Logan Act.
Mr. Speaker, this is a direct challenge to the national security and
national interest of the United States of America and her people. Mr.
Qadhafi has himself stated that this is one way to infiltrate America.
Moslems from abroad, through these various political organizations, are
calling to unite with those in this country in subversion of the U.S.
Government and its governmental systems.
Mr. Speaker, further, Iranian Prime Minister Rafsanjani has stated
regarding Mr. Farrakhan's visit to his country, also on the list of
terrorist nations, ``Let our enemies call this export of revolution. We
do not fear this.''
Congress must hold hearings and the appropriate law enforcement
agencies in the executive branch must investigate these matters. We
cannot turn a blind eye to blatant disregard of our Nation's laws and
national interests.
Questions must be answered as to the legality of Mr. Farrakhan's
actions, and this administration's apparent unwillingness to pursue Mr.
Farrakhan for an explanation of his actions must not be allowed to lie.
Did this administration send a letter to Farrakhan stating it was
illegal to travel to certain of these nations? What steps has this
administration taken, if any, to investigate possible violations of
U.S. law? Why did this administration allow Mr. Farrakhan to reenter
the United States, knowing of his activities and statements abroad,
without even checking his passport for a Libyan stamp?
Mr. Speaker, I have called for hearings, as have others. I have
written to Secretary of State Warren Christopher and Attorney General
Janet Reno calling for an immediate and in-depth review of these
matters.
Mr. Speaker, I include the following correspondence for the Record:
[[Page H1701]]
Congress of the United States,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, February 14, 1996.
Hon. Warren Christopher,
U.S. Department of State,
Washington, DC.
Re Louis Farrakhan's Trip to Iran and Libya
Dear Mr. Secretary: I write to urge you as the Secretary of
State to investigate Louis Farrakhan's recent trips to Libya
and Iran, which are listed on the United States' terrorist
list for their roles in state sponsored terrorism. By
engaging in such travel, it is my understanding that Mr.
Farrakhan may have violated several federal statutes,
including the Foreign Agents Registration Act, various
passport travel restrictions, sanctions regulations and the
Logan Act.
An investigation by your department is critical to
determine the means by which Mr. Farrakhan traveled to Libya
and Iran, what economic contributions he may have made to
these countries, whether there exists any financial
relationship between these terrorist governments and Louis
Farrakhan's Nation of Islam, and answers to other relevant
questions.
It is unconscionable and unacceptable for our government to
stand idly by, while federal laws may have been disregarded
with impunity by this man.
I respectfully urge your department to take whatever action
is necessary, including comprehensive investigations to fully
disclose Louis Farrakhan's travels and interaction with the
terrorist regimes in Libya and Iran.
Thank you for your consideration and cooperation in this
matter, and I look forward to working with you in this
regard.
With kind regards, I am,
Very truly yours,
Bob Barr,
Member of Congress.
____
Congress of The United States,
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC, February 14, 1996.
Hon. Janet Reno,
Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, DC.
Re Louis Farrakhan's trip to Iran and Libya.
Dear Attorney General Reno: I write to urge you as Attorney
General of the United States to, as soon as possible,
investigate Louis Farrakhan's recently trips to Libya and
Iran, which are listed on the United States' terrorist list
for their roles in state-sponsored terrorism. By engaging in
such travel, it is my understanding that Mr. Farrakhan may
have violated several federal statutes, including the Foreign
Agents Registration Act, various passport travel
restrictions, sanctions regulations, and the Logan Act.
An investigation by your department is critical to
determine the means by which Mr. Farrakhan traveled to Libya
and Iran, what economic contributions he may have made to
these countries, whether there exists any financial
relationship between these terrorist governments and Louis
Farrakhan's Nation of Islam, and answers to other relevant
questions.
It is unconscionable and unacceptable for our government to
stand idly by, while federal laws may have been disregarded
with impunity by this man.
I respectfully urge your office to take whatever action is
necessary, including comprehensive investigations to fully
disclose Louis Farrakhan's travels and interaction with the
terrorist regimes in Libya and Iran.
Thank you for your consideration and cooperation in this
matter, and I look forward to working with you in this
regard.
With kind regards, I am,
Very truly yours,
Bob Barr,
Member of Congress.
Mr. Speaker, to say that Mr. Farrakhan is, quote, cavorting with
dictators, close quote, as one presidential spokesman initially said,
is not enough. Our laws should be the rule of the land, not political
interests of the moment.
Even beyond, Mr. Speaker, the immediate questions about whether Mr.
Farrakhan has violated U.S. laws, looms the broader issue of whether
U.S. laws purporting to guard against U.S. citizens conspiring to work
against U.S. national security interests have any meaning whatsoever.
Do our laws, which prevent U.S. citizens from serving as conduits for
foreign money being interjected into the U.S. political system, have
any meaning or not?
These fundamental and basic questions about the scope and strength
and rule of U.S. laws guarding our national security and guarding the
integrity of our political system must be addressed. We must have the
backbone to ask these questions through appropriate congressional
hearings and through appropriate law enforcement review by the
Department of Justice.
____________________