IV
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 732
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 10, 2009
Mr. Adler of New Jersey (for himself, Mr. Maffei, Mr. Filner, Mr. Foster, Mr. Holt, Mr. LoBiondo, Mrs. Lowey, Mr. McMahon, Mr. Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania, Mr. Murphy of New York, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Pascrell, Mr. Rothman of New Jersey, Ms. Linda T. Sánchez of California, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of California, Mr. Teague, Mr. Waxman, and Mr. Wolf) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
RESOLUTION
Condemning the release of convicted terrorist Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi from a prison in Scotland to return home to Libya.
Whereas, on December 21, 1988, Pan Am Flight 103, from London to New York, was destroyed by a bomb, killing all 259 people on board, 11 civilians on the ground, for a total of 270 people which included 189 people from the United States;
Whereas, on January 31, 2001, Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi was sentenced to life in prison for his participation in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103;
Whereas, on August 20, 2009, the Scottish Government
released him on compassionate grounds
to return to Libya due to
terminal prostate cancer;
Whereas, on August 20, 2009, the White House expressed deep regret for the decision to release Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi and has stated that he should serve out his sentence in Scotland;
Whereas, on August 20, 2009, the United States Secretary of State, Hilary Rodham Clinton, expressed the United States deep disappointment by the decision of the Scottish Government to release Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi and deepest sympathies to the families of the victims; and
Whereas, on August 21, 2009, the Director of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, Mr. Robert Meuller III, expressed his outrage of the
release of Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi to the Scottish Justice Secretary,
Kenny MacAskill, stating Your action in releasing Megrahi is as
inexplicable as it is detrimental to the cause of justice. Indeed your action
makes a mockery of the rule of law. Your action gives comfort to terrorists
around the world who now believe that regardless of the quality of the
investigation, the conviction by jury after the defendant is given all due
process, and sentence appropriate to the crime, the terrorist will be freed by
one man's exercise of
: Now, therefore, be itcompassion.
Your action rewards a
terrorist even though he never admitted to his role in this act of mass murder
and even though neither he nor the government of Libya ever disclosed the names
and roles of others who were responsible.
That the House of Representatives—
strongly condemns the release of Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi, who was convicted for participating in the bombing of Pan Am 103, causing the deaths of 270 innocent people, including 189 United States citizens;
extends deepest sympathies to all the family members of the victims of Pan Am Flight 103;
recognizes this type of action sends a negative message to terrorists and undermines the judicial system in terrorist convictions;
expresses concern for the celebration of Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi’s return to Libya because this sends the wrong message to terrorists; and
urges the Government of Libya to immediately place Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi under house arrest.