IV
103D CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 118
To condemn the release by the Government of Malta of convicted terrorist
Mohammed Ali Rezaq.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 8, 1993
Mr. LANTOS (for himself and Mr. BEREUTER) submitted the following
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
RESOLUTION
To condemn the release by the Government of Malta of
convicted terrorist Mohammed Ali Rezaq.
Whereas on November 23, 1985, terrorists hijacked Egypt
Air flight 648 and diverted it to Malta;
Whereas during the hijacking, 60 people were killed, includ-
ing citizens of 12 countries;
Whereas one of those killed by the terrorists was Scarlett
Rogenkamp of Oceanside, California, who was one of 5
women, including 3 United States citizens, who were shot
in the head;
Whereas after investigations, Mohammed Ali Rezaq, a sus-
pected member of the Abu Nidal Organization, was tried
and convicted in Malta on a variety of charges related to
the hijacking, including the willful homicide of Scarlett
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Rogenkamp and others, and he was sentenced to a prison
term of 25 years;
Whereas the Government of Malta assured the United States
Government in 1992 that Rezaq would remain in prison
until 1996;
Whereas the United States Government learned in February
1993 that the Government of Malta had, without notice
to the United States and other interested parties, re-
duced Rezaq’s sentence and planned to release him that
month;
Whereas the United States Government and the governments
of other countries whose citizens were killed in the hijack-
ing of Egypt Air flight 648 repeatedly urged the Govern-
ment of Malta to retain Rezaq in custody or make ar-
rangements for him to be tried elsewhere;
Whereas on February 12, 1993, because of concern that
Rezaq could be released, the United States District Court
for the District of Columbia issued an arrest warrant for
Rezaq, and this warrant was provided to the Government
of Malta in the hope that the Government of Malta would
continue to detain him;
Whereas the Government of Malta brushed aside the requests
that had been made by the governments of the United
States and other countries and allowed Rezaq, in the
company of an official of the Government of Malta, to fly
to another country without notice; and
Whereas these actions by the Government of Malta under-
mine the efforts to deter international terrorists by let-
ting them go free without serving their sentences: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
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(1) strongly condemns the release by the Gov-
ernment of Malta of convicted terrorist Mohammed
Ali Rezaq;
(2) believes such action seriously undermines
the efforts to foster good relations between Malta
and the United States and undermines the inter-
national and United States efforts to discourage and
deter international terrorism;
(3) urges all governments to cooperate in extra-
diting Rezaq either to the United States or to an-
other concerned country in order that he may face
additional criminal charges for his involvement in
the Egypt Air hijacking and the murder of innocent
civilians;
(4) urges all governments to abide by the rule
of law and not provide safe haven to terrorists in
order that terrorism will be met with the full force
of justice and that terrorists will not escape being
held accountable; and
(5) urges the President to review the United
States relationship with Malta, including foreign as-
sistance and economic relations.
SEC. 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives
shall transmit a copy of this resolution to the Secretary
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of State with a request that the Secretary transmit a copy
of this resolution to the Government of Malta.
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