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“PUERTO RICAN TERRORISTS AN ONGOING THREAT” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Justice was published in the House of Representatives section on pages H10515-H10516 on Oct. 20, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
PUERTO RICAN TERRORISTS AN ONGOING THREAT
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, for those Americans who have been following the debate the last several months over the release of the terrorists known as the FALN, a group that was probably the most efficient terrorist group to engage in a reign of terror across this country during the 1970s and 1980s and who were, rightfully, sentenced to long prison sentences and just recently were granted clemency by the White House, the other shoe dropped today.
The FALN participated in about 130 bombings, proudly proclaiming themselves to be freedom-fighters when, in reality, all they were were killers. Police officers who lost their sight or their legs, children who lost their fathers who died as a result of FALN bombings. For months, we have been trying to understand exactly why the White House would grant clemency to these known terrorists, especially after they have failed to even acknowledge that they have done anything wrong, have demonstrated no remorse and offered no apologies.
The FBI testified recently that these groups still pose a threat to the national security. The Bureau of Prisons testified under oath that these people still are a threat and they should not have been released.
Now, in a report today, we learn that the Attorney General, Janet Reno, says that a nationalist group that had been aligned still poses an ongoing threat to national security. Quote: ``Factors which increase the present threat from these groups include the impending release from prisons of members of these groups jailed for prior violence.''
It is also reported today that the Justice Department formally urged President Clinton in December 1996 to deny clemency to imprisoned Puerto Rican nationalists, a recommendation that the White House never acknowledged in the furor over the President's decision last month to commute the sentences of the member militant group.
So there we have it. We have the Bureau of Prisons, the FBI, the Justice Department, including the Office of the Attorney General, all recommending against clemency, and it was offered. Perhaps in the understatement of the century we have Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder who, in a hearing today said, quote: ``I think we could have done a better job getting in touch with the victims.'' Because in all of these years, the last several years, while the White House and the Attorney General's Office was meeting with advocates for terrorists and their spokespeople, the victims who suffered for so many years never even got a phone call, and they say they could have done a better job communicating with the victims.
There are two more terrorists still in prison, and why do we bring this up today? God forbid they are offered clemency by this President or any other, for that matter. I think the American people have to know still to this day why we have decided to let terrorists free, especially to those who fail to offer any remorse.
One of them, Mr. Adolfo Matos who was released was taped in April of 1999, just several months ago, and he said, ``I do not have to ask for forgiveness from anybody. I have nothing to be ashamed of or feel that I need to ask for forgiveness. My desire has gotten stronger.'' This is a man who participated in a terrorist organization many years ago and his ``desire has gotten stronger to the point where I want to continue, continue to fight and get involved with my people because I love them.''
Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, will the gentleman yield?
Mr. FOSSELLA. I yield to the gentleman from New York.
Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I just want to take this opportunity to commend the gentleman from New York for the outstanding job he has done in bringing this issue to the American people and continuing the fight and not backing down at all. The gentleman deserves the credit of all of us, and I just commend the gentleman for the great job he has done.
Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, reclaiming my time, I just want to thank my good friend, the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), because he has been right by my side in fighting for what I believe is justice here, especially for the victims.
The important point, Mr. Speaker, is that these people who still to this day offer no remorse, no apologies to the victims, not even a call; I doubt very much if the White House or the Attorney General's Office has even called Diana Berger who lost her husband, or Joseph and Thomas Connor who lost their father or the Richard Pastorell who lost his sight or Anthony Semft who lost his vision or Rocko Pasceralla, a police officer who lost his leg. I doubt very much if they have even gotten a phone call and, meanwhile, we have terrorists out on the street who feel committed to engage in a reign of terror against this Nation. It is ridiculous, and I think the American people deserve to know some answers.
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