[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 49 (Monday, May 1, 2006)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3846-S3847]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 GERMAN RELEASE OF MOHAMMAD ALI HAMMADI

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 457, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 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.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. VITTER. Mr. President, I rise in support of S. Res. 457, 
expressing the Senate's disappointment with the government of Germany 
concerning their release of convicted terrorist and murderer Mohammad 
Ali Hammadi.
  The German government in December of 2005 released Mohammad Ali 
Hammadi, a Hezbollah leader who killed U.S. Navy diver Robert Dean 
Stethem in the June 1985 Hezbollah hijacking of TWA Flight 847. 
Coincidentally, a few days later Susanne Osthoff, a German hostage was 
released. Mr. Stethem was savagely beaten and then executed for 
refusing the demands of his hijackers. Hammadi and his fellow 
terrorists escaped, but Hammadi was eventually arrested in Germany in 
1987 for traveling with liquid explosives and sentenced to life in 
prison for the murder of Mr. Stethem. Hammadi's other accomplices are 
still part of the FBI's most wanted list and have a 15 million dollar 
bounty on their heads.
  The German government released Hammadi despite a U.S. request for his 
extradition to face numerous charges of terrorism. He was sentenced to 
life yet only served 18 years. Furthermore, despite our longstanding 
agreement to honor each others' extradition requests the German 
government flew Hammadi to Lebanon to reunite with his brothers who are 
senior Hezbollah leaders. The Germans did this despite knowing the 
United States does not have an extradition treaty with the government 
of Lebanon.
  Sadly, the family of United States Navy diver Robert Dean Stethem was 
not notified in advance of Mr. Hammadi's release. Mr. Stethem is an 
American hero who was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and Purple 
Heart and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery. He also has a 
United States Navy ship named in his honor called the USS Stethem.
  We should continue to call on Lebanon to hand over Hammadi and other 
wanted terrorists to face trial in the United States, and we urge 
Lebanon to comply with such requests in order to help foster better 
relations between the United States and Lebanon. While the United 
States should continue to assist Lebanon in democratic reform 
initiatives, we must see results in denying refuge to some of the 
world's most wanted terrorists. The people of Lebanon have made great 
strides in recent times but the government of Lebanon must understand 
that continuing to harbor terrorists will only further isolate them 
from the international community and put future financial aid in doubt.
  The murderers of Robert Stethem must be brought to justice, and a 
clear message must be sent that the brutal murder of American service 
members or civilians will neither be tolerated nor forgotten.
  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon 
the table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 457) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              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;
       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;

[[Page S3847]]

       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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