DEAN JOINS KERRY, URGES BUSH TO PRESSURE SYRIA AND LEBANON

Written by: Mathew Gross on May 7, 2003 6:53 PM EDT

Governor Howard Dean today joined Senator John Kerry in calling upon President Bush to pressure Syria and Lebanon amidst allegations of money laundering in those two nations.

"President Bush must address the concerns about possible money laundering by Syria immediately," said Governor Dean. "Given the long history of terrorist organizations operating in Syria, we cannot afford to take chances when $1 billion may be working its way into the coffers of terrorist organizations."

In response to suspicions that Saddam Hussein's son, Qusai, took $1 billion from a Baghdad bank as the war began and transported it to Syria, Senator Kerry asked President Bush to label Syria and Lebanon "money-laundering concerns" under the USA Patriot Act. He also urged the Administration to request that financial institutions monitor transactions involving the two countries.

Governor Dean supports taking this action as a defense against terrorism under the applicable provision of the USA Patriot Act as it now stands. Governor Dean suggested, however, that the Patriot Act should be substantially revised because it includes attacks on our rights of privacy and our civil rights.

"While I advocate strong measures against countries that launder money that could be used for terrorism, I recommend that Congress re-examine the Patriot Act and strip out those provisions that undermine our civil liberties-- such as the ability to hold American citizens without the right to counsel and to allow the government to rummage through the library and video rental records of citizens without first obtaining search warrants."

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