[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     IRAN'S LATEST TERRORIST ACTION

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                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 9, 1999

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, over the past month, we have been reading 
with increasing concern, reports of terrorist attacks by the mullahs' 
regime against the forces of the Iranian opposition outside Iran. 
Today, I regret to say that there has been another attack. This time, 
the target was a city bus carrying members of the Mojahedin in Baghdad. 
Six of the freedom fighters were killed, and 21 more are in the 
hospital with serious injuries. Another city bus carrying Iraqi 
citizens was also heavily damaged and a number of its passengers 
injured in the blast, which left a 6 ft. by 9 ft. crater.
  This car bombing is but the latest in a series of two dozen terrorist 
attacks against the Mojahedin since Mohammad Khatami was elected 
president two years ago. That is a startling increase over the numbers 
racked up by his predecessors. Clearly, such statistics contradict all 
the talk we have heard about Khatami being a ``moderate'' who will do 
things differently. Terrorism is on the rise outside Iran, members of 
religious minorities and dissidents are being arrested and even 
executed inside Iran, and terrorist groups violently opposing the 
Middle East peace process are receiving more funds, more training and 
more support from the Khatami government.
  International silence in response to Hkatami's flagrant violations of 
international law and human rights only emboldens his regime. The bomb 
blast today was the fifth such terrorist strike against the Mojahedin 
on Iraqi soil in the past month. Against the backdrop of Khatami's open 
support of regional terrorists, and the wave of disappearances and 
assassinations targeting dissidents and minorities in Iran, it hardly 
paints a picture of moderation. Obviously, goodwill gestures, trade 
concessions, and apologies have not succeeded in modifying the 
government's behavior. It is time for our State Department to change 
its tune, to adopt a decisive Iran policy which insists that the 
mullahs be held accountable for their deeds, and to strongly condemn 
the terrorist attacks launched by Tehran.

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