[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2603-H2604]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       STATE DEPARTMENT CITES PAKISTANI LINK TO TERRORIST GROUPS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Morella). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Madam Speaker, yesterday the U.S. State Department 
released its annual report on terrorism worldwide called ``Patterns of 
Global Terrorism, 1999 Report.''

[[Page H2604]]

  The report provides some very interesting and very troubling findings 
about where the threats to U.S. interests, U.S. citizens, and 
international stability have been coming from during the past year.
  One of the most dramatic findings of the report is that Pakistan, 
traditionally an ally of the United States, is guilty of providing safe 
haven and support to international terrorist groups.
  Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, the State Department stopped short of 
adding Pakistan to the list of seven nations that are described as 
state sponsors of terrorism.
  Madam Speaker, at the beginning of this year, I introduced 
legislation calling on the State Department to declare Pakistan a 
terrorist state. I believe that the information made public this week 
gives added urgency to that effort.
  To quote, if I may, Madam Speaker, from the section of the State 
Department's report dealing with South Asia, it says, ``In 1999, the 
locus of terrorism directed against the United States continued to 
shift from the Middle East to South Asia.'' The report goes on to cite 
the Taliban, which controls significant areas of Afghanistan, for 
providing safe haven for international terrorists, particularly Usama 
Bin Ladin and his network.
  As the report points out, ``Pakistan is one of only three countries 
that maintains formal diplomatic relations with and one of several that 
supported Afghanistan's Taliban.''
  The report goes on to say, ``The United States made repeated requests 
to Islamabad,'' the Pakistan capital, ``to end support for elements 
harboring and training terrorists in Afghanistan and urged the 
Government of Pakistan to close certain Pakistani religious schools 
that serve as conduits for terrorism. Credible reports also continue to 
indicate official Pakistani support for Kashmiri militant groups, such 
as the Harakat ul-Mujahedin, or HUM, that engaged in terrorism.'' This 
organization has been linked to the hijacking late last year of the Air 
India flight, and one of the hijackers' demands was that a leader of 
the HUM be freed from prison in India in exchange for the innocent 
hostages on the aircraft. That leader has since returned to Pakistan, 
according to the State Department.
  I might also add, Madam Speaker, that this organization, the HUM, 
under a previous name has been linked to the kidnapping of Western 
tourists in Kashmir. Two of those Westerners have been murdered; and 
several others, including an American, remain unaccounted for.
  The region of Kashmir has been ground zero for much of the Pakistani-
supported terrorist activity. The State Department report notes that, 
``Kashmiri extremist groups continue to operate in Pakistan, raising 
funds and recruiting new cadre.'' It blames these groups for numerous 
terrorist attacks against civilian targets in India's State of Jammu 
and Kashmir.
  After last summer's U.S. diplomatic intervention to end Pakistan's 
incursion onto India's side of the Line of Control in Kashmir, 
Pakistani and Kashmiri extremist groups worked to stir up anti-American 
sentiment.
  As my colleagues can imagine, Madam Speaker, at yesterday's briefing 
on the release of the report, Michael Sheehan, the State Department's 
Coordinator for counterterrorism, was put on the defensive as to why 
Pakistan was not designated as a state sponsor of terrorism when the 
report contained such damning information.
  The agency's response is that Pakistan has sent mixed messages, on 
the one hand cooperating on extradition and embassy security, while, on 
the other hand, having relationships with the Kashmiri groups and the 
Taliban.
  But, Madam Speaker, Ambassador Sheehan warned, ``for state 
sponsorship or the designation of foreign terrorist organizations, you 
can do it any time of the year.''
  Madam Speaker, the U.S. Counter-terrorism Policy is very simple: 
First, make no concessions to terrorists and strike no deals; second, 
bring terrorists to justice for their crimes; third, isolate and apply 
pressure on states that sponsor terrorism to force them to change their 
behavior; and fourth, bolster the counter-terrorism capabilities of 
those countries that work with the United States and require 
assistance.
  Madam Speaker, I hope that the State Department will pay particular 
attention to the third and fourth points with regard to Pakistan and 
South Asia.
  President Clinton, during his recent trip to South Asia, tried to 
appeal to the Pakistani military junta to cease support for terrorist 
organizations and activities. The pressure on Pakistan must be 
maintained and strengthened. Pakistani leaders should be reminded that 
the threat that their country could be designated as a terrorist state 
is a real one that could be invoked at any time.
  India has been the prime victim of terrorism emanating from or 
supported by Pakistan. Thus, in keeping with the fourth point of the 
State Department's stated policy, we should strive to work much more 
closely with India, a democracy, on counter-terrorism efforts.
  We can only hope that reason will prevail in Islamabad and that the 
Pakistani Government will see that the result of its present course 
will be increased isolation from the world community. If not, then we 
must be prepared to follow through and declare Pakistan a state that 
sponsors terrorism, with all of the stigma and isolation that goes with 
such a declaration.

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