[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 31, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S910]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         THE LOCKERBIE VERDICT

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, today's unanimous verdict by a Scottish 
court convicting a Libyan intelligence agent of murder in the 1988 
bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie concludes an exhaustive 
terrorism trial that clearly exposed Libyan state sponsorship of the 
mass murder of 270 individuals, including 189 Americans. A second 
Libyan charged with the same offense was acquitted. Although no verdict 
can compensate the victims' loved ones for their loss, the life 
sentence handed down to Libyan intelligence agent Abdel Basset Ali al-
Megrahi represents a first step for the families, the prosecution, and 
the Western nations that supported bringing the Libyans to justice.
  Nonetheless, the trial's conclusion must not obscure the task ahead: 
holding Libya accountable for full compliance with the U.N. Security 
Council resolutions governing the sanctions regime against that 
country. These resolutions mandate that, before sanctions can be 
lifted, Libya must (1) Cease all forms of terrorism; (2) Disclose all 
information about the Lockerbie bombing; (3) Accept responsibility for 
the actions of Libyan officials; (4) Pay appropriate compensation to 
the victims' families; and (5) Cooperate with the French investigation 
into the 1989 bombing of UTA Flight 772 over Niger.
  Full Libyan compliance with the U.N. resolutions must be the standard 
for terminating the sanctions, which are believed by many experts to be 
responsible for the significant decline in Libya's sponsorship of 
terrorism overseas.
  Of perhaps more immediate importance to the United States is the 
question of the separate U.S. sanctions currently in place against 
Libya, primarily as a consequence of its sponsorship of state 
terrorism. True, Libya did hand over the Lockerbie defendants in 1999 
and expel the Abu Nidal terrorist organization from its territory in 
1998. The Libyan government has also seemingly reduced its contacts 
with radical Palestinian organizations espousing violence against 
Israel. In 1999, after the conviction in absentia of six Libyans by a 
French court for the UTA 772 bombing, Libya compensated the families of 
the 171 victims. However, it has not turned over the convicted 
individuals for trial or acknowledged responsibility.
  In addition to the issue of terrorism, the United States must 
consider Libya's covert and sometimes armed intervention in the affairs 
of other African nations, including Chad, Sudan, and Sierra Leone, as 
well as Libya's continuing development of weapons of mass destruction. 
Libya used chemical weapons acquired from Iran against Chad in 1986 and 
has constructed chemical weapons facilities at Rabta and Tarhunah. 
According to the Congressional Research Service, Libya tried to buy 
nuclear weapons or components from China in 1975, India in 1978, 
Pakistan in 1980, the Soviet Union in 1981, Argentina in 1983, Brazil 
in 1984, and Belgium in 1985. The United Kingdom accused Libya of 
smuggling Chinese Scud missiles through Gatwick Airport in 2000. The 
Pentagon believes China has provided missile technology training to 
Libyan workers.
  While I applaud the Lockerbie verdict, I believe any consequent 
American policy changes toward Libya must take into account its 
possession of chemical and potentially nuclear weapons, its compliance 
with existing U.N Security Council mandates on the Lockerbie and UTA 
bombings, and any residual support for state terrorism. If Libya truly 
wishes to enter the ranks of law-abiding nations, with the economic and 
diplomatic benefits such status affords, it must satisfy the 
international community's concerns on these issues.

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