Terrorists To Be Tried In U.S.?

U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R., Pa.) is calling for the U.S. to ask Israel to extradite two Palestinian terrorists who have been convicted of murdering American citizens in Israel. Though they are already serving life sentences, Specter feels that the American death penalty would be a more effective punishment - and would even help Israel in its war against terrorism.



Sen. Specter explained on CNN yesterday that the Terrorist Prosecution Act of 1986 authorizes the U.S. to prosecute the terrorist murderers of American citizens abroad. They can be charged with "murder in the first degree and get the death penalty," he said. "I have been talking to Israeli Attorney-General [Elyakim] Rubenstein and also to United States Attorney-General John Ashcroft to try to set this in motion. And both of [them] are interested. And I think it would be very salutary, really be very emphatic - and the United States would be helping Israel in Israel's war on terrorism. And we would be vindicating a very important United States interest when our citizens are being murdered abroad by Palestinian terrorists."



Asked by Wolf Blitzer whether he has "a problem" with Israel's policy of targeted killings of Palestinian terrorists, Sen. Specter said, "I do not, Wolf, when they are carrying out those policies as a preventative measure… Look here, we're not in the old days. We are now facing terrorists who strike secretly, without warning, killing massive numbers of people. And in this context, I believe preventative action is entirely appropriate. And targeted killings are going after people where there is reason to believe they're going to be trying to murder Israelis and others."