OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Urging the European Union to Add Hezboliah to the EU's List of Terrorist Organizations

Date: March 16, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security


URGING THE EUROPEAN UNION TO ADD HEZBOLLAH TO THE EU'S LIST OF TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS -- (Extensions of Remarks - March 16, 2005)

SPEECH OF
HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS
OF FLORIDA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MONDAY, MARCH 14, 2005

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 101, a resolution urging the European Union to add Hezbollah to the European Union's list of terrorist organizations.

Over the past two decades, Hezbollah has been synonymous with terror, suicide bombings and kidnappings. This Iran-backed, Lebanese-based terrorist group serves as an umbrella organization of radical Islamic Shiite groups and entities. Hezbollah, which the U.S. government estimates consists of several thousand militants, has balked at recent U.N. Security Council resolutions requiring it to disarm. This terrorist group is responsible for nearly 200 attacks since 1982 that have killed more than 800 people. Its political rhetoric includes calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Most recently, both Israeli and Palestinian officials noted an alarming increase in Hezbollah support for terrorism in the Palestinian territories. The organization enjoys funding of $10 million to $20 million monthly from Iran, a country that continues to seek a nuclear weapon.

U.S. intelligence has shown that Hezbollah cells operate in Europe, Africa, South America, and North America. Hezbollah's reported involvement in the 1983 suicide bombing attack that killed 241 United States Marines in Beirut and other acts of atrocities begs its inclusion to the European Union's list of terrorist organizations.

Mr. Speaker, a critical part of the war on terror is identifying terrorist threats and the organizations and people who carry out acts of atrocity. I am encouraged by the European Union Parliament's passing of a resolution urging the European Union leadership and the member governments to list Hezbollah as a terrorist entity. I applaud this step and hope that it leads to the inclusion of Hezbollah on the European Union's list of terrorist organizations.

I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.

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