[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 15 (Wednesday, January 30, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  RICHARD REID CONVICTION ANNIVERSARY

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, most of the victories in the fight against 
terrorism have been won on foreign shores with little to no acclaim 
here at home. As our Nation continues the long and often silent 
campaign against extremism, we should not miss the opportunity to 
publicly praise the lifesaving achievements of our Nation's 
intelligence and law enforcement authorities.
  On this day 5 years ago, al-Qaida operative Richard Colvin Reid, also 
called Abdul Raheem--but known to the world simply as the ``shoe 
bomber''--was sentenced to life in prison. Reid sought to explode an 
airplane carrying 185 passengers and 12 crewmembers on their voyage 
across the Atlantic. Thanks to the vigilance and bravery of two flight 
attendants, Cristina Jones and Hermis Moutardier, Reid was discovered 
and detained, saving flight 63 and all on board.
  The U.S. Attorney's Office in Massachusetts subsequently prosecuted 
Reid. His confession led to the first conviction of an al-Qaida 
terrorist on American soil. To commemorate the occasion, I met 
yesterday with the case's chief prosecutor, Middlesex County district 
attorney Gerry Leone. I took that opportunity to congratulate him on a 
successful conviction, one of the highlights of Gerry's long record of 
public service.
  Like the terrorists of September 11, Reid pledged blind fealty to the 
hate-filled ideology of Osama bin Laden. In furtherance of his 
determined plot, Reid traveled to more than seven countries spanning 
three continents. Law enforcement authorities were able to use e-mails 
sent by Reid to obtain a vital glimpse into the complex global network 
of al-Qaida. These correspondences led authorities to discover al-
Qaida-affiliated terrorist cells in London, France, and Turkey.
  As we commemorate Reid's conviction and express our gratitude to 
those like Gerry Leone who made it happen, we must remember that future 
victories depend on private citizens, public servants, and law 
enforcement officers here and abroad working in unison to keep 
Americans safe against terrorism.

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