09 September 1999 

Text: Clinton on Convention for Suppression of Terrorist Bombings,
Sept. 8 

(President asks the Senate for advice and consent to ratification)
(770)

President Clinton late September 8 transmitted to the U.S. Senate the
International Convention for the Suppression of Terrorist Bombings,
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on December 15, 1997.

It was signed on behalf of the United States on January 12, 1998.

In recent years, the President said, "we have witnessed an
unprecedented and intolerable increase in acts of terrorism involving
bombings in public places in various parts of the world.

"This Convention," Clinton wrote in his transmittal note to the
Senate, "is a vitally important new element in the campaign against
the scourge of international terrorism. I hope that all states will
become Parties to this Convention, and that it will be applied
universally.

"I recommend therefore," the President wrote, "that the Senate give
early and favorable consideration to this Convention, subject to the
understandings and reservations that that are described in the
accompanying State Department report."

Following is the White House text of the transmittal note:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
September 8, 1999

TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES:

With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to
ratification, I transmit herewith the International Convention for the
Suppression of Terrorist Bombings, adopted by the United Nations
General Assembly on December 15, 1997, and signed on behalf of the
United States of America on January 12, 1998. The report of the
Department of State with respect to the Convention is also transmitted
for the information of the Senate.

In recent years, we have witnessed an unprecedented and intolerable
increase in acts of terrorism involving bombings in public places in
various parts of the world. The United States initiated the
negotiation of this convention in the aftermath of the June 1996
bombing attack on U.S. military personnel in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, in
which 17 U.S. Air Force personnel were killed as the result of a truck
bombing. That attack followed other terrorist attacks including poison
gas attacks in Tokyo's subways; bombing attacks by HAMAS in Tel Aviv
and Jerusalem; and a bombing attack by the IRA in Manchester, England.
Last year's terrorist attacks upon United States embassies in Nairobi
and Dar es Salaam are recent examples of such bombings, and no country
or region is exempt from the human tragedy and immense costs that
result from such criminal acts. Although the penal codes of most
states contain provisions proscribing these kinds of attacks, this
Convention provides, for the first time, an international framework
for cooperation among states directed toward prevention of such
incidents and ensuing punishment of offenders, wherever found.

In essence, the Convention imposes binding legal obligations upon
States Parties either to submit for prosecution or to extradite any
person within their jurisdiction who commits an offense as defined in
Article 2, attempts to commit such an act, participates as an
accomplice, organizes or directs others to commit such an offense, or
in any other way contributes to the commission of an offense by a
group of persons acting with a common purpose. A State Party is
subject to these obligations without regard to the place where the
alleged act covered by Article 2 took place.

Article 2 of the Convention declares that any person commits an
offense within the meaning of the Convention if that person unlawfully
and intentionally delivers, places, discharges or detonates an
explosive or other lethal device in, into or against a place of public
use, a state or government facility, a public transportation system,
or an infrastructure facility, with the intent (a) to cause death or
serious bodily injury or (b) cause extensive destruction of such a
place, facility or system, where such destruction results in or is
likely to result in major economic loss. States Parties to the
Convention will also be obligated to provide one another legal
assistance in investigations or criminal or extradition proceedings
brought in respect of the offenses set forth in Article 2.

The recommended legislation necessary to implement the Convention will
be submitted to the Congress separately.

This Convention is a vitally important new element in the campaign
against the scourge of international terrorism. I hope that all states
will become Parties to this Convention, and that it will be applied
universally. I recommend, therefore, that the Senate give early and
favorable consideration to this Convention, subject to the
understandings and reservations that are described in the accompanying
State Department report.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

THE WHITE HOUSE
September 8, 1999

(end text)



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