Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987

Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987

Long title	A bill to make unlawful the establishment or maintenance within the United States of an office of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and for other purposes.
Nicknames	Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1988
Enacted by	the 100th United States Congress
Effective	March 21, 1988
Citations
Public law	Pub. L. 100–204
Statutes at Large	101 Stat. 1406
Codification
Titles amended	22 U.S.C.: Foreign Relations and Intercourse
U.S.C. sections created	22 U.S.C. ch. 61 § 5201 et seq.
Legislative history
Introduced in the House as H.R. 2548 by Wally Herger (R–CA) on May 28, 1987 Committee consideration by U.S. House Foreign Affairs Signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on December 22, 1987

Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 originated in the 100th United States Congress as four articles of anti-terrorism legislation. The United States House of Representatives bill H.R. 2587 was endorsed by eighty cosponsors while the United States Senate bill S. 1203 was endorsed by forty-nine cosponsors of the 100th United States Congress. The Act of Congress established prohibitions concerning the Palestine Liberation Organization as a terrorist organization creating instability and meddling in the diplomatic relations of the Middle East.

The Anti-Terrorism Act was drafted in the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1988 and 1989 as Title X - Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987. The Foreign Relations Authorization Act was codified as Public Law 100-204 bound as statute 101 Stat. 1331. The United States House bill H.R. 1777 was authorized by the 100th United States Congress and enacted into law by Ronald Reagan on December 22, 1987.

Declaration of the Act

Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 was penned as five sections establishing reprehensible conditions with regards to Palestine Liberation Organization relations and conducting anarchist affairs within the United States.

Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 as short title - 101 Stat. 1406 § 1001

Determinations and Findings - 101 Stat. 1406-1407 § 1002

• By 1985, sixty percent of Middle East terrorism accounted for total international terrorism
• Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) assisted activities in the Achille Lauro hijacking of October 7, 1985
• Palestine Liberation Organization implicated in the fatality of United States ambassador to Lebanon Francis E. Meloy Jr.
• PLO and constituent groups implicated in the fatality of dozens of American citizens abroad
• Palestinian National Covenant issues a governing truth of armed struggle to liberate Palestine
• During April 1987 in Algiers, Palestinian National Council meeting reaffirmed the ideology of the struggle in all its armed forms
• United States Attorney General affirms that various elements of the Palestine Liberation Organization and its allies and affiliates are in the thick of international terror

Determinations - 101 Stat. 1407 § 1002

United States Congress determines the Palestine Liberation Organization and affiliates are a terrorist organization. The anarchist organization poses a peril threat to the interests of the United States, its allies, and international law. The Palestine Liberation Organization should not benefit from operating in the United States.

Prohibitions Regarding the PLO - 101 Stat. 1407 § 1003

For the purpose of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987, it is unlawful to further the interests of the Palestine Liberation Organization, any constituent groups, any successor to any of those, and any agents thereof;

(1) To receive anything of value except informational material from the PLO or any of its constituent groups, any successor thereto, or any agents thereof;

(2) To expend funds from the PLO or any of its constituent groups, any successor thereto, or any agents thereof;

(3) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, to establish or maintain an office, headquarters, premises, or other facilities or establishments within the jurisdiction of the United States at the behest or direction of, or with funds provided by the Palestine Liberation Organization or any of its constituent groups, any successor to any of those, or any agents thereof.

Enforcement - 101 Stat. 1407 § 1004

United States Attorney General shall institute the necessary legal action to effectuate the policies and provisions of this title

Any district court of the United States for a district in which a violation of this title occurs shall have authority, upon petition of relief by the United States Attorney General, to grant injunctive and such other equitable relief as it shall deem necessary to enforce the provisions of this title

Effective Date - 101 Stat. 1407 § 1005

Provisions of this title shall take effect 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act

Termination - 101 Stat. 1407 § 1005

Provisions of this title shall cease to have effect if the President certifies in writing to the' President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House that the Palestine Liberation Organization, its agents, or constituent groups thereof no longer practice or support terrorist actions anywhere in the world

See also

• 1973 Rome airport attacks and hijacking
• 1982 Lebanon War
• Black September
• Cleo A. Noel Jr.
• Entebbe raid
• Munich massacre
• Taylor Force Act
• TWA Flight 840 bombing

Related United States Congressional Legislation

H.R. 4078 - Repeal of Anti-Terrorism Act of 1987 at Congress.gov

H.R. 4522 - PLO Accountability Act at Congress.gov

S. 2537 - PLO Accountability Act at Congress.gov

S. 1060 - PLO Accountability Act of 2017 at Congress.gov

Bibliography

• Reagan, Ronald W. (August 24, 1982). "Letter to the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate on the Deployment of United States Forces in Beirut, Lebanon - August 24, 1982". Internet Archive. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Service. pp. 1078–1079.
• Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Ronald W. Reagan: "Letter to the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate on the Deployment of United States Forces in Beirut, Lebanon" August 24, 1982". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara.
• Peters,Gerhard; Woolley, John T. "Ronald W. Reagan: "Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 1777 - Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 1988 and 1989" June 15, 1987". The American Presidency Project. University of California - Santa Barbara.