WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush signed legislation Monday that allows the State Department to settle all remaining lawsuits against Libya by U.S. terrorism victims and paves the way for complete rapprochement between Washington and Tripoli.
The last rifts between the U.S. and Libya can now be cleared, once the country fully compensates Americans harmed in Libyan-sponsored attacks, including the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland and the 1986 bombing of the La Belle discotheque in Berlin.
It creates a new fund to compensate the victims and grants Libya immunity from terror-related lawsuits once the secretary of state certifies that they have been paid. "For too many years, Libya has refused to accept responsibility for its horrific acts of terrorism against American victims," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., who strongly supported the legislation. "But after the pressure we applied, Libya will finally be held accountable for these devastating events." |