Senator Lautenberg Leads Delegation To Ensure Justice For Victims of Libyan Terror

Senators Urge Libya To Pay Victims' Families of Libyan Terrorism

December 10, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, a coalition of eight Senators, led by Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ), sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking her to use an upcoming diplomatic visit to urge Libya to fulfill its obligations to American victims of Libyan terrorism. Lautenberg was joined by Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Chris Dodd (D-CT).

“Congress has made it clear that the U.S. is not ready for full normalization of relations with Libya,” the Senators wrote. “This was demonstrated in the Senate’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2008 State Department and Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which would block the construction of a new U.S. embassy in Tripoli and prevent support for energy investment there until these settlements are fulfilled. Several Senators have also vowed to block the confirmation of a new U.S. ambassador to Tripoli.”

In 2003, Libya agreed to compensate the victims of the 1988 Pan Am 103 bombing that killed 270 people. In 2006, it agreed to compensate the victims of its 1986 bombing of the LaBelle discothèque in Berlin, Germany, which killed two Americans and wounded nearly 90 service members. To date, Libya has not fulfilled either commitment and other cases are pending against Libya, including the attack on Egypt Air Flight 648. One American citizen was killed in that attack and two were badly injured. Two Israelis and many Egyptians were killed.

Source: Senator Frank R. Lautenberg

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