Congressional Statements

Lantos condemns terrorist attack on Indian parliament

Press Release
December 13, 2001

Congressman Tom Lantos (D-California), Ranking Democratic Member of the House International Relations Committee, today condemned the suicide attacks on the Indian Parliament in New Delhi as a blatant act of terrorism and called on the international community to band together to root out terrorist networks wherever they existed.

The text of a statement issued by Rep. Lantos on the floor of the House of Representatives read as follows:

"Mr. Speaker, I rise today to denounce the cowardly and barbaric terrorist attack on the Indian Parliament building that took place in New Delhi earlier this morning.

First I want to express by deepest condolences to Prime Minister Vajpayee, the families of victims and to the people of India.

This latest attack, which comes two months after the October suicide bombing on the parliament building in Kashmir, strikes at the heart of India, the symbol of its democracy.

Six heavily armed terrorists, dressed in Indian military commando fatigues charged into the Parliament complex and set off a fierce gun battle in which six policemen and a Parliament staffer were killed as well as all six of the terrorists. From the amount of explosives found on the attackers, Indian authorities believe the terrorists were on a suicide mission. The attack took place minutes after both Houses of Parliament had adjourned for the day and could easily have taken the lives of numerous Members of Parliament, staff and visitors.

Three months and two days ago, terrorists used box cutters, knives and fuel-laden passenger jets to launch suicide missions against the United States. One of those airplanes, we later learned, may have been intended to hit this very Capitol building -- the symbol of our democracy.

The attack against India, as with the attacks against the United States, were not aimed at bringing down buildings. They were cowardly attempts by criminal terrorist organizations to attack free and democratic societies, to intimidate their people and their government.

India has waged a long and often-lonely battle against terrorism. Today, I want to assure the people and government of India that you are not alone.

Mr. Speaker, it is time that the international community made clear that terrorism and violence as a means of political expression will not be tolerated and will not be allowed to continue. We must act together in rooting out the terrorist networks where ever they exist."