[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 174 (Friday, December 14, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2298]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CONDEMNING THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE INDIAN PARLIAMENT

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 13, 2001

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to denounce the cowardly and 
barbaric terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament building that took 
place in New Delhi earlier this morning.
  First I want to express by deepest condolences to Prime Minister 
Vajpayee, the families of victims and to the people of India.
  This latest attack, which comes two months after the October suicide 
bombing on the parliament building in Kashmir, strikes at the heart of 
India, the symbol of its democracy.
  Six heavily armed terrorists, dressed in Indian military commando 
fatigues charged into the Parliament complex and set off a fierce gun 
battle in which six policemen and a Parliament staffer were killed as 
well as all six of the terrorists. From the amount of explosives found 
on the attackers, Indian authorities believe the terrorists were on a 
suicide mission. The attack took place minutes after both Houses of 
Parliament had adjourned for the day and could easily have taken the 
lives of numerous Members of Parliament, staff and visitors.
  Three months and two days ago, terrorists used box cutters, knives 
and fuel-laden passenger jets to launch suicide missions against the 
United States. One of those airplanes, we later learned, may have been 
intended to hit this very Capitol building--the symbol of our 
democracy.
  The attack against India, as with the attacks against the United 
States, were not aimed at bringing down buildings. They were cowardly 
attempts by criminal terrorist organizations to attack free and 
democratic societies, to intimidate their people and their government.
  India has waged a long and often-lonely battle against terrorism. 
Today, I want to assure the people and government of India that you are 
not alone.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time that the international community made clear 
that terrorism and violence as a means of political expression will not 
be tolerated and will not be allowed to continue. We must act together 
in rooting out the terrorist networks whereever they exist.

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