US Congress: "To investigate, pursue & capture the prepetrators of murders of US citizens abroad ..."

Thanks to GuthmanBey who flagged this important link to DKos/ here

In May, 2001, a 13 year old child was horribly murdered in the West Bank. Palestinian Militants were suspected of the crime. How did the US respond?

Koby was born in 1987 in the United States and held dual citizenship in Israel and United States, in Silver Spring. He was the oldest son of Sherri Mandell and Rabbi Seth Mandell. He moved to Israel along with his family when he was in 4th grade.

On May 8, Koby and his friend Yosef Ishran skipped school to go hiking in the rocky countryside that surrounded the Mandell home in Tekoa, a settlement on the West Bank. The two boys were bludgeoned to death with rocks by the militants. Although no proof was found, a group called Hizbullah-Palestine claimed responsibility.[2]

The Koby Mandell Act

Koby Mandell Act of 2001 (Introduced in the House)

HR 2098 IH

107th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2098

To require the Attorney General to establish an office in the Department of Justice to monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have been committed by Palestinian individuals or individuals acting on behalf of Palestinian organizations and to carry out certain other related activities.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 7, 2001

Mr. ANDREWS (for himself and Mr. SAXTON) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require the Attorney General to establish an office in the Department of Justice to monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have been committed by Palestinian individuals or individuals acting on behalf of Palestinian organizations and to carry out certain other related activities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Koby Mandell Act of 2001'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

The Congress finds the following:

(1) Since 1948, many United States citizens have been injured or killed in terrorist attacks committed by Palestinian individuals and organizations in and outside of the Middle East.

(2) Under United States law, individuals who commit acts of international terrorism outside of the United States against nationals of the United States may be prosecuted for such acts in the United States.

(3) The United States has taken a special interest and active role in resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including numerous diplomatic efforts to facilitate a resolution of the conflict and the provision of financial assistance to Palestinian organizations.

(4) However, despite these diplomatic efforts and financial assistance, little has been done to apprehend, indict, prosecute, and convict Palestinian individuals who have committed terrorist attacks against nationals of the United States.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF OFFICE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE TO MONITOR TERRORIST ACTS BY PALESTINIAN INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS AND CARRY OUT RELATED ACTIVITIES.

(a) IN GENERAL- The Attorney General shall establish within the Department of Justice an office to carry out the following activities:

(1) Monitor acts of international terrorism alleged to have been committed by Palestinian individuals or individuals acting on behalf of Palestinian organizations.

(2) Collect information against individuals alleged to have committed acts of international terrorism described in paragraph (1).

(3) Offer rewards for information on individuals alleged to have committed acts of international terrorism described in paragraph (1), including the dissemination of information relating to such rewards in the Arabic-language media.

(4) Negotiate with the Palestinian Authority or related entities to obtain financial compensation for nationals of the United States, or their families, injured or killed by acts of terrorism described in paragraph (1).

(5) In conjunction with other appropriate Federal departments and agencies, establish and implement alternative methods to apprehend, indict, prosecute, and convict individuals who commit acts of terrorism described in paragraph (1).

(6) Contact the families of victims of acts of terrorism described in paragraph (1) and provide updates on the progress to apprehend, indict, prosecute, and convict the individuals who commit such acts.

(7) In order to effectively carry out paragraphs (1) through (6), provide for the permanent stationing of an appropriate number of United States officials in Israel, in territory administered by Israel, in territory administered by the Palestinian Authority, and elsewhere, to the extent practicable.

(b) DEFINITION- In this section, the term `international terrorism' has the meaning given such term in section 2331(1) of title 18, United States Code.

SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) IN GENERAL- There are authorized to be appropriated for fiscal year 2002 and each subsequent fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

(b) AVAILABILITY- Amounts appropriated pursuant to the authorization of appropriations under subsection (a) are authorized to remain available until expended.

Koby Mandell Act

The act was introduced withn 6 weeks of Koby's murder, and finally passed in 2004.

It requires the Department of Justice to establish am office to investigate, pursue and capture the prepetrators of murders of US citizens abroad.

In response to the ongoing murders of American citizens by Palestinian Arab terrorists, the ZOA is strongly supporting the Koby Mandell Act, which was recently introduced in Congress. The Koby Mandell Act would create a special office within the Justice Department which would: gather evidence against Palestinian Arab killers of Americans; arrange to bring the terrorists to the U.S. for trial; initiate negotiations with the Palestinian Authority for financial compensation for victims’ families; and maintain a liaison with the families to update them on efforts to capture the killers.

ZOA

So we have a case of outrage in response to the murder of an american citizen abroad. Putatively by members of a terrorist organization. This american citizen was a teenager, whose parents emigrated to Israel years earlier. Not unlike Furkan Dogan, killed on the M/V Marmara.

In 2003, an American citizen was killed in the territories, protesting home demolitions, perhaps not murder, but likely manslaughter.

Is there a double standard? Are we 'singling out" a friendly nation for special treatment?

Should we amend the Koby Mandell Act to include instances of murder of American Citizens by State Terror?