[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18221]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                       RELEASE OF FALN TERRORISTS

  Mr. KYL. Madam President, 1 year ago, 11 terrorists dedicated to the 
violent pursuit of Puerto Rican independence walked out of prison 
thanks to a clemency grant by President Clinton. Two more of these 
terrorists will be released in coming years. They were all members of 
the Armed Forces of National Liberation (FALN), which has claimed 
responsibility for 130 bombings in the United States, killing 6 
Americans and wounding 84 others.
  It is incomprehensible to me that those responsible for such deadly 
violence are living in freedom today, while their victims and their 
families are still suffering. As we reflect on the decision of the 
President 1 year ago to ignore this suffering for his personal gain, I 
believe it's important to put a human face on the deplorable acts these 
terrorists committed.
  I'd like to quote from the testimony of a few victims who lived 
through some of the 130 bombings these FALN terrorists committed:

       Bill Newhall, FALN victim: On January 24th [1975], I was 
     having lunch with two colleagues, Charlie Murray and Frank 
     Connor and three clients, Jim Gezork, Alex Berger and Dave 
     Urskind. We were seated at a table overlooking Broad Street, 
     about to return to work when a bomb, placed in a doorway next 
     to our table, detonated, destroying our corner with shrapnel 
     and debris. Jim, Alex, and Frank died terrible deaths, barely 
     recognizable to their families. Another man, Harold 
     Sherburne, who was upstairs at the time of the blast, was 
     also killed. Charlie, David and I suffered multiple wounds, 
     many of them from shrapnel. More than fifty other people 
     sustained injuries as well. . . . It is impossible to 
     adequately describe the effects of this savagery on the 
     injured and dead as well as their families.
       This bombing, a terrorist act against unarmed and 
     unsuspecting civilians and its lethal results were followed 
     by many more . . .
       NYPD Detective Rocco Pascarella, FALN victim: FALN bombs 
     were placed at locations where it was likely that innocent 
     people would be killed or injured.
       About two weeks prior to December 31, 1982 I had been 
     assigned to the Police Headquarters security detail. . . . It 
     was 9:30 p.m. when my colleagues and I heard a tremendous 
     explosion. At first we thought it was fireworks. But soon 
     after, we were told a bomb had exploded at 26 Federal Plaza 
     which is two blocks from police headquarters. I was directed 
     by my sergeant to search the perimeter of the headquarters 
     building for anything suspicious that might be a bomb. As I 
     approached the rear unused entrance to the building I noticed 
     a lot of debris. As I turned to search, the bomb went off. . 
     . .
       I suffered the loss of one leg below the knee, severe 
     scarring of my other leg, the loss of hearing in one ear, and 
     the loss of my eyesight to the extent that I am no longer 
     able to drive. I was in the hospital for two months. I 
     underwent six operations for my leg and ears and received 
     over 40 stitches to my face, ears and mouth. I spent a year 
     going through rehabilitation to learn to walk again with my 
     artificial leg and injured right leg. Because of my injuries 
     I have been unable to return to active duty in the police 
     force. I am on an extended medical leave. The pain and trauma 
     of these disabling injuries were multiplied by the suffering 
     it caused my family.
       Special Agent (Ret.) Donald R. Wofford, FBI: [O]n 
     Wednesday, 12/11/74 . . . an anonymous Hispanic female 
     notified the NYPD that a dead body was located in a building 
     at 336 East 110th Street, Manhattan. A radio car was 
     dispatched and when the investigating patrolman pushed upon 
     an outside door to an abandoned five story tenement located 
     at this address, the explosion occurred, seriously injuring 
     the officer, and ultimately resulting in the loss of his eye.
       Special Agent (Ret.) Richard S. Hahn, FBI: Between June, 
     1975 and November, 1979, the FALN claimed credit for nineteen 
     bombing and six incendiary attacks in the Chicago area. These 
     included bomb targets such as the woman's washroom in a hotel 
     restaurant, (9/76), the bombing of the city-county building, 
     (6/77), and Sears Tower (10/75).

  Madam President, I don't know how the President of the United States 
can just ignore the pain and suffering of these innocent Americans. I 
can't comprehend how we can say that America is tough on terrorism, and 
will not tolerate such violence, while our nation's leader grants 
clemency to those who commit these horrendous acts. And I don't 
understand how his Vice-President can remain silent on this grievous 
decision as he attempts to earn the trust of the American people. It's 
been a year since President Clinton granted clemency to convicted 
terrorists and the Senate and the American people are still searching 
for the answers to these questions.

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