IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 732 

Condemning the release of convicted terrorist Abdel Basset Mohamed alMegrahi from a prison in Scotland to return home to Libya. 

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. 

SA ́NCHEZ 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 alMegrahi was sentenced to life in prison for his participation in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103; 


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•HRES 732 IH 

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 alMegrahi 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 ‘compassion.’ 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.’’: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 


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•HRES 732 IH 

1 (1) strongly condemns the release of Abdel Bas2 set Mohamed al-Megrahi, who was convicted for par3 ticipating in the bombing of Pan Am 103, causing 

4 the deaths of 270 innocent people, including 189 

5 United States citizens; 

6 (2) extends deepest sympathies to all the family 

7 members of the victims of Pan Am Flight 103; 

8 (3) recognizes this type of action sends a nega9 tive message to terrorists and undermines the judi10 cial system in terrorist convictions; 

11 (4) expresses concern for the celebration of 

12 Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi’s return to Libya 

13 because this sends the wrong message to terrorists; 

14 and 

15 (5) urges the Government of Libya to imme16 diately place Abdel Basset Mohamed al-Megrahi 

17 under house arrest. 

Æ 


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