[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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