ADL URGES U.S. TO ENSURE CONVICTED TERRORIST AND MURDERER
OF U.S. CITIZEN BE TREATED WITH THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW
New York, NY, March 22, 1996 ...The Anti-Defamation League
(ADL) and its Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation today called on the U.S. Government
to ensure that the terrorist convicted of murdering Leon Klinghoffer aboard
the Achille Lauro cruise ship be prosecuted for his escape and serve his
full sentence. Youssef al-Molqui was captured in southern Spain after disappearing
during an unsupervised furlough from an Italian prison where he was serving
a 30 year sentence.
In a letter to Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Abraham H. Foxman,
ADL National Director, and Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer urged the United States
to "demand that Italy prosecute Mr. Molqui to the full extent of the
law for his escape and guarantee that he serve the remaining twenty years
of his sentence without furlough or parole.
"Italy's record of carrying out the sentences of the terrorists convicted
of hijacking the Achille Lauro and the murder of Leon Klinghoffer is abysmal,"
they said.
Bassam al-Asker, one of the Achille Lauro hijackers, was granted parole
in 1991. Ahmad Marrouf al-Assadi, another accomplice, disappeared in 1991
while on parole. Four others, including the mastermind, Abu Abbas, were
convicted in absentia and remain at large.
The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.
