SRES 724 ATS
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 724
Expressing the sense of the Senate on the horrific terrorist attacks and siege in Mumbai, India, beginning on November 26, 2008, and concluding on November 29, 2008.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
December 9, 2008
Mr. CASEY (for himself, Mr. VOINOVICH, and Mr. CONRAD) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Senate on the horrific terrorist attacks and siege in Mumbai, India, beginning on November 26, 2008, and concluding on November 29, 2008.
Whereas, on the evening of November 26, 2008, evidence strongly suggests that 10 terrorists came ashore into the city of Mumbai, India, from a hijacked fishing trawler in the Arabian Sea, and conducted coordinated attacks on major hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and transportation hubs, and a religious center;
Whereas the attackers entered into a standoff with security forces of the Government of India over the next 60 hours at a number of sites, deliberately holding many hostages while trapping other innocent victims with no means of escape;
Whereas authorities of the Government of India brought the horrific three-day siege of Mumbai to a close on the morning of November 29, 2008;
Whereas the final death toll from the siege exceeded 170 victims, with hundreds more injured;
Whereas those murdered include citizens of India as well as 22 foreigners from 11 different countries, including the following six United States citizens: Aryeh Leibish Teitelbaum, Rabbi Gavriel Noah Holtzberg, Ben Zion Chroman, Sandeep Jeswani, Alan Michael Scherr, and Naomi Leia Scherr.
Whereas the terrorists who attacked Mumbai attacked a symbol of religious pluralism and outreach, a Jewish outreach center at the Nariman House, murdering six residents of the Nariman House, including Rabbi Holtzberg and his five-month pregnant wife, Rivka, orphaning their two-year old son, Moshe, who was heroically rescued by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuel;
Whereas nine of the attackers were found dead at various sites where they were engaged in a standoff with authorities of the Government of India, with only one surviving attacker taken into custody;
Whereas evidence collected to date suggests the involvement of an Islamic militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba, that has ties to al Qaeda and operates out of Pakistan;
Whereas India has endured a series of devastating terrorist attacks in recent years, suffering 3,674 deaths from terrorist attacks in a recent three-year period; and
Whereas India, the world’s largest democracy, is a strategic partner of the United States, and this bilateral relationship is built on common values and unity against extremism: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) affirms that the people of the United States stand in unison with the people of India in the aftermath of these horrific terrorist attacks;
(2) condemns strongly the atrocities perpetrated against the people of Mumbai, conveys its deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed, and expresses its wishes for the speedy recovery of the hundreds of people injured in these senseless attacks;
(3) notes that these attacks did not only target citizens of India, but represented a collective assault against the international community, with 22 foreigners, including six Americans, among those murdered;
(4) noting that President Bush has offered United States Government assistance, encourages the Government of India to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the attacks and applauds the tone of moderation and restraint exhibited by the Government of India to date in reaction to these horrific attacks;
(5) urges the Government of Pakistan to investigate aggressively the possible connection of groups based in Pakistan, including the Lashkar-e-Taiba, to the Mumbai attacks and take definitive action to apprehend and detain suspects, and is thus encouraged by the raid on an apparent militant camp on December 7, 2008, and the arrest of key suspects;
(6) calls upon the Government of Pakistan to take all necessary steps to root out all extremist groups operating on its territory, halt attacks aimed at Pakistan and any other countries, and ensure that no elements of the Government support such groups;
(7) strongly encourages President-elect Obama to consider ways in which the United States Government can bolster counter-terrorism cooperation with the Government of India to ensure that authorities in that country possess all the requisite equipment and training needed to prevent and respond to future terrorist attacks; and
(8) urges bolstered United States efforts to develop and implement policies and projects to combat all forms of religious extremism, including anti-Semitism, in order to deter the type of targeted attacks like that waged against the Chabad Lubavitch center in Mumbai.
U.S. Congress - Text of S.Res.724 as Agreed to Senate A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate on the horrific terrorist attacks and s...
