Washington, DC – Today U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) released a statement on Bulgaria’s announcement linking Hezbollah to the bomb attack that killed five Israeli tourists.
”The Bulgarian government announced today that the terrorist group Hezbollah was linked to the July 2012 attack which killed five Israeli tourists and their Bulgarian bus driver. The Bulgarian government deserves credit for this thorough investigation and for its courage in announcing the results.
The U.S. State Department designated Hezbollah a foreign terrorist organization more than fifteen years ago, in October 1997. Last September, I led 75 of my colleagues in sending a letter to EU High Representative Ashton, in which we called on the EU to formally designate Hezbollah as the terrorist organization. In December, I co-sponsored a Senate resolution which reiterated this call for an EU designation of Hezbollah and expressed our commitment to standing by Bulgaria, a key NATO ally, during its investigation.
This brazen act of terrorism by Hezbollah was committed on European Union soil. Brussels can no longer delay - I strongly urge the EU to move immediately to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. I also call upon the rest of the international community to stand in solidarity with the Bulgarian government. Reprisal attacks by Hezbollah, Iran or any other sponsor of terrorism, should not be tolerated.”
Senator Casey previously led a bipartisan group of 75 Senators in urging the European Union to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in September. Hezbollah receives substantial assistance from Iran and has conducted terrible acts of terrorism on Western targets. Senator Casey’s letter to the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy can be found here.
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