[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 49 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3804-S3805]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 457--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE THAT THE 
  CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT HAVE 
   SERIOUS CONCERNS REGARDING THE RELEASE OF CONVICTED TERRORIST AND 
       MURDERER MOHAMMAD ALI HAMMADI BY THE GOVERNMENT OF GERMANY

  Mr. VITTER (for himself, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. DeMint, Mr. Craig, and Mr. 
Isakson) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 457

       Whereas, although the Government of Germany has been a 
     significant partner in combating international terrorism, 
     their release of Mohammad Ali Hammadi was a grave and 
     unfortunate mistake;

[[Page S3805]]

       Whereas, in 1985, Mr. Hammadi, along with Hasan Izz-Al-Din, 
     Ali Atwa, and Imad Fayez Mugniyah, hijacked Trans World 
     Airlines Flight 847, and subsequently escaped from the scene 
     of the hijacking;
       Whereas United States Navy Petty Officer Robert Dean 
     Stethem was singled out during the hijacking of Trans World 
     Airlines Flight 847 because he was a serviceman of the United 
     States, savagely beaten before being executed, and dumped on 
     the tarmac of Beirut International Airport;
       Whereas Petty Officer Stethem was posthumously awarded the 
     Bronze Star and Purple Heart and buried at Arlington National 
     Cemetery;
       Whereas, in 1987, Mr. Hammadi was arrested at Frankfurt 
     Airport while carrying liquid explosives in his luggage;
       Whereas, in 1989, Mr. Hammadi, a Shiite militant from 
     Lebanon, was convicted in a court in Germany for the brutal 
     killing of Petty Officer Stethem and was sentenced to life in 
     prison in Germany;
       Whereas, after less than 19 years behind bars Mr. Hammadi 
     was released in December 2005 and flown to Lebanon by the 
     Government of Germany even though the United States does not 
     have an extradition treaty with the Government of Lebanon; 
     and
       Whereas the release of Mr. Hammadi came in the face of 
     strong opposition from the United States Government, and 
     Petty Officer Stethem's parents were not even informed in 
     advance that the killer of their son was to be released; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the unfortunate actions of the Government of Germany 
     with respect to Mohammad Ali Hammadi have undermined the 
     joint efforts by the United States Government and the 
     Government of Germany to effectively combat international 
     terrorism;
       (2) the early release of Mr. Hammadi sends a signal of 
     weakness to terrorist groups such as Hezbollah and could 
     increase the likelihood of further terrorist attacks against 
     the citizens of Europe and the rest of the world;
       (3) the United States Government should continue to call on 
     the Government of Lebanon to hand over Mr. Hammadi and other 
     known terrorists so that they may face trial in the United 
     States;
       (4) the United States Government should take all 
     appropriate steps to secure the arrest of Mr. Hammadi and his 
     fellow hijackers and their transfer to the United States for 
     trial; and
       (5) the murderers of United States Navy Petty Officer 
     Robert Dean Stethem must be brought to justice, and a clear 
     message must be sent to the international community that the 
     brutal murder of service members or civilians of the United 
     States will neither be tolerated nor forgotten.

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