ADC, Partners Call On House Judiciary Committee To Hold Hearing on the Assassination of Alex Odeh

“The Judiciary Committee must demand answers and do what they can to not allow this case to go another minute without progress being made.” “Nearly four decades have gone by and there are many unanswered questions as to why this case has never been resolved, and why justice has been delayed.”

Nearly two dozen civil society organizations joined the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in calling for a House Judiciary Committee hearing into the assassination of Alex Odeh.

The request, addressed to Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry Nadler, highlighted the absence of progress.

It has been 35 years since the last hearing by any House committee. It has been nearly 40 years since Alex was killed, and it is long past time for Congress to demand answers from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Alex was a tireless Arab-American peace activist who committed his life to protecting civil and human rights in the U.S. and abroad. At the time of his assassination he was the ADC’s West Coast Regional Director at the time of his assassination. Additionally he was a poet, a lecturer of Arabic Language and Middle East History at Coastline College in Santa Ana.

Palestinian Arab American Alex Odeh, with his children, was murdered in 1985. The killing has never been solved.

Alex was tragically assassinated when a pipe bomb exploded as he entered the ADC West Coast Regional office on October 11, 1985. The explosion left a wife without a husband, and three daughters without a father.

During the last Judiciary Committee hearing on the case in 1986, FBI Assistant Executive Director Oliver Revell testified that the case had been designated as one of the nation’s highest priorities and classified it as domestic terrorism. Despite that testimony, and a strong indication of the primary suspects, no charges have been brought for the assassination.

ADC was joined in the request by the following organizations: AJP Action, American Muslim Bar Association (AMBA), Arab American Civic Council, Arab American Institute (AAI), CAIR California, Defending Rights & Dissent, ICNA Council for Social Justice, Islamophobia Studies Center, National Iranian American Council (NIAC), National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), No Separate Justice, Project South, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT), South Asian Bar Association of North America, and the US Palestinian Council.

ADC National President Samer Khalaf said, “There is broad and diverse support in this call for justice. It is our hope that Congressman Nadler fulfills his responsibilities as Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee by scheduling a hearing and ensuring this case gets the attention it deserves. The Judiciary Committee must demand answers and do what they can to not allow this case to go another minute without progress being made.”

ADC Legal and Policy Director Abed Ayoub said, “It should not sit easy with anyone that this case has gone on for almost 40 years and those responsible have not been brought to justice. I thank the organizations that joined ADC. Supporters of Alex Odeh, including signatories, have historically been on the front lines of justice for all Americans and we value their voices.”