III 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION 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. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 1, 2006 

Mr. VITTER (for himself, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. CRAIG, and Mr. 

ISAKSON) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

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. 

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-AlDin, Ali Atwa, and Imad Fayez Mugniyah, hijacked 

Trans World Airlines Flight 847, and subsequently escaped from the scene of the hijacking; 


CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
2 

•SRES 457 ATS

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; 

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 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (1) the unfortunate actions of the Government 

3 of Germany with respect to Mohammad Ali 

4 Hammadi have undermined the joint efforts by the 

5 United States Government and the Government of 


CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with BILLS
3 

•SRES 457 ATS

1 Germany to effectively combat international ter2 rorism; 

3 (2) the early release of Mr. Hammadi sends a 

4 signal of weakness to terrorist groups such as 

5 Hezbollah and could increase the likelihood of fur6 ther terrorist attacks against the citizens of Europe 

7 and the rest of the world; 

8 (3) the United States Government should con9 tinue to call on the Government of Lebanon to hand 

10 over Mr. Hammadi and other known terrorists so 

11 that they may face trial in the United States; 

12 (4) the United States Government should take 

13 all appropriate steps to secure the arrest of Mr. 

14 Hammadi and his fellow hijackers and their transfer 

15 to the United States for trial; and 

16 (5) the murderers of United States Navy Petty 

17 Officer Robert Dean Stethem must be brought to 

18 justice, and a clear message must be sent to the 

19 international community that the brutal murder of 

20 service members or civilians of the United States 

21 will neither be tolerated nor forgotten. 

Æ 


CCOLEMAN on PROD1PC71 with BILLS