Congress of the United States

Dear Colleague:

Last month, a delegation from the Presbytery of Chicago met with leaders of the terrorist group Hezbollah.

Secretary of State Warren Christopher designated Hezbollah an official Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under U.S. law (8 U.S.C. 1101) in October 1997. According to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Hezbollah murdered 241 U.S. servicemen in 1983 at the Marine barracks in Beirut. Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for the murder of 17 Americans at the U.S. embassy in Beirut under the pseudonym, “Islamic Jihad." The following year, Hezbollah claimed credit for the murder of another 18 U.S. servicemen when it attacked Torrejon Air Base in Spain.

According to the United States District Attorney for the Southern District of New York, “Al Qaeda also forges alliances with…Hezbollah, for the purpose of working together against their perceived common enemies in the West, particularly the United States." (Indictment of Osama bin Laden, dated November 5, 1998)

President Clinton and President Bush have reaffirmed Hezbollah’s status as an official foreign terrorist organization under U.S. law. Most recently, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reconfirmed Hezbollah’s official terrorist status under Section 1101 on October 11, 2005.

Hezbollah has not only killed Americans. It is responsible for the murder of many citizens of other democracies in the world.

Please sign on to the letter below urging the Presbytery of Chicago to rethink its policy of continued contact with people responsible for the murder of 276 Americans and the citizens of other members of the United Nations. To sign the letter, please contact Richard Goldberg with Mr. Kirk’s office at 5-4835 or David Weinreich with Mr. Andrews’ office at 5-6501.

Sincerely,

/s/Mark Steven Kirk /s/Robert Andrews
Member of Congress Member of Congress

/s/John Shimkus /s/Shelley Berkley
Member of Congress Member of Congress

December XX, 2005

Rev. Robert C. Reynolds
Presbytery of Chicago
100 South Morgan
Chicago, IL 60607

Dear Rev. Reynolds:

We write to you over concerns regarding meetings by your organization with leaders of the terrorist group, Hezbollah.

As you know, Secretary of State Warren Christopher designated Hezbollah an official Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) under U.S. law (8 U.S.C. 1101) in October 1997. According to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Hezbollah murdered 241 U.S. servicemen in 1983 at the Marine barracks in Beirut. Hezbollah also claimed responsibility for the murder of 17 Americans at the U.S. embassy in Beirut under the pseudonym, “Islamic Jihad." The following year, Hezbollah claimed credit for the murder of another 18 U.S. servicemen when it attacked Torrejon Air Base in Spain.

According to the United States District Attorney for the Southern District of New York, “Al Qaeda also forges alliances with…Hezbollah, for the purpose of working together against their perceived common enemies in the West, particularly the United States." (Indictment of Osama bin Laden, dated November 5, 1998)

President Clinton and President Bush have reaffirmed Hezbollah’s status as an official foreign terrorist organization under U.S. law. Most recently, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reconfirmed Hezbollah’s official terrorist status under Section 1101 on October 11, 2005.

Hezbollah has not only killed Americans. It is responsible for the murder of many citizens of other democracies in the world.

We urge you to rethink this policy of continued contact with people responsible for the murder of 276 Americans and the citizens of other members of the United Nations.

Sincerely,


cc: Clifton Kirkpatrick, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Alberto Gonzalez, Attorney General