Preventing A Canada-Like Terror Attempt Here
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security passed legislation introduced by Representatives Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS) and Curt Weldon (R-PA) that would secure the sale and handling of ammonium nitrate, an important agriculture fertilizer that has also been used by criminals for improvised explosives.
“I am pleased with the passage of this vital legislation. Securing the handling and sale of ammonium nitrate is critical to protecting this country from future terror attacks. However, it is disturbing that once again, Congress has taken the ‘lights, camera, action’ approach to homeland security only tackling these serious issues once the whole world is watching,” said Rep. Thompson.
The threat posed by unregulated ammonium nitrate is not a new one. We became aware of the dangers of ammonium nitrate bombs when they were used by terrorists to destroy the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. This same component was used in 2002, by an Islamic group linked to Al-Qaeda outside a night club in Bali, Indonesia and, in 2003, by an Al Qaeda cell in Istanbul, Turkey.
The bill, H.R. 3197, the Secure Handling of Ammonium Nitrate Act, was considered and marked up by the Homeland Security Subcommittee on the Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attacks on December 14, 2005, and was passed by a roll call vote of 9-0. Sadly, it’s taken a thwarted terror plot -- where terrorists were planning to use ammonium nitrate bombs, to bring this issue back into the light.
Specifically, this legislation directs the Department of Homeland Security to regulate the sale of ammonium nitrate-based fertilize by registering its producers and sellers and documenting customer sales information. Such an approach would strengthen homeland security without unduly burdening farmers, who are critical to our nation’s economy.
Rep. Thompson has been a long time advocate of passing ammonium nitrate security legislation and applauds today’s efforts by this Committee to consider and pass this critical legislation.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Please contact Dena Graziano or Todd Levett at (202) 226-2616.
