Fifty years ago, on January 24, 1975 our family and countless others were shattered by terrorists, many of whom were disgracefully granted Presidential clemency. Others remain guests of Cuba. Terror victims deserved better. Our fight for justice continues.
Our father, 33 year-old Frank Connor, and three other innocent men were murdered and scores were injured and maimed, when the Marxist Puerto Rican terrorist group Armed Forces for National Liberation (“FALN”) bombed New York's historic Fraunces Tavern during a crowded lunchtime. The FALN appointed themselves my father’s judge, jury, and executioner.
Our mother planned to celebrate my brother’s recent 11th and my 9th birthday that very night. Our family survived. We stuck together depending on our faith, our love for our father and for each other.
FALN communique # 3 found near the Fraunces bombing read, “We FALN…take full responsibility for the especially detornated (sic) bomb that exploded today at Fraunces Tavern with reactionary corporate executives inside…” Frank Connor was a first generation American husband, son and father from working class Washington Heights NY; hardly a reactionary corporate executive. Dad graduated from college at night when we were kids.
Fraunces was targeted by the FALN for its Wall Street location and reputation as the birthplace of American liberty. Alexander Hamilton and the Sons of Liberty met there. General Washington bade farewell to his officers at Fraunces after the Revolutionary War.
Between 1974 and 1983, the FALN claimed responsibility for over 130 bombings in the US and Puerto Rico. Though never prosecuted specifically for the Fraunces bombing, the unrepentant terrorists served only 18 years of prison sentences from 55 to 70 years.
Hillary Clinton during her 2000 NY Senate run looked to connect with New York’s Hispanic community. Bill Clinton then granted clemency to the FALN, a blatant political gesture orchestrated by then–deputy attorney general Eric Holder. Terror leader Oscar Lopez Rivera, actually refused the 1999 Clinton clemency.
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In his last days in office in 2017, Obama handed an unprecedented second clemency to Lopez; who we faced and kept in prison at his 2011 parole hearing.
Adding to the injustice was New York City politicians’ failed attempt in 2017 to bestow a “Freedom Hero” award to Lopez, and Hamilton director Lin-Manuel Miranda’s honoring Lopez despite the fact that Fraunces Tavern was frequented by the real Hamilton.
William Morales, chief FALN bomb-maker (currently in Cuba), however was not offered clemency. Morales likely built the devices used at Fraunces and New York’s Mobil Oil building, where, in August 1977, 26 year old Charles Steinberg was murdered.
On July 12, 1978, Morales blew off part of his face and nine of his fingers when a bomb he was crafting exploded in his Queens bomb factory which was filled with explosive materials, FALN communiqués, and even the copy machine used to make the January 24, 1975, Fraunces communiqué.
Morales was captured, tried, convicted, and sentenced in 1979 to up to 99 years in New York State and Federal prison but escaped from Bellevue prison hospital with the assistance of other radicals known as the Revolutionary Armed Task Force.
Morales was located by US officials in Puebla, Mexico, in 1983. He and an accomplice killed a Mexican police officer. Morales was arrested, charged as an accessory to murder, and imprisoned in Mexico.
In 1988, ignoring President Reagan’s extradition demands, the Mexican government flew Morales to Cuba, where he remains along with other murderous and felonious fugitives such as Victor Gerena and BLA cop killer Joanne Chesimard (Assata Shakur).
Incredibly over the past decade Cuba, who sponsors terrorists, was removed from and added to the US State Sponsor of Terrorism (SSOT) List by alternate US Administrations. On his first day back in office this week President Trump rightfully revoked the Biden administration's last-minute removal of Cuba from the SSOT list as Trump did in 2021 when Obama first removed Cuba from the list.
On July 1, 2015, President Obama announced formal relations with Cuba before visiting in March 2016. As Obama announced his Cuba visit, I was contacted by media who knew our family’s longstanding fight for justice. Ironically, I answered from Joint Base Guantanamo, Cuba. As a 9/11 family member and eyewitness to the attacks I observed the pretrial hearings- with my cousin Jean Schlag Nebbia, whose brother, our father’s godson Steve Schlag, was murdered on 9/11/2001.
I lamented the difference in the handling of the murders of Steve and my dad. For Steve, The US went to war. For my dad, his murderers were released and the US opened relations with their patron, Cuba.
Along with the heroes of law enforcement our family, has fought for justice for 50 years. As expressed in our new documentary film Shattered Lives, this has been a generational struggle affecting all of us including the lives of Frank Connor’s future daughters in law and grandchildren whom he never met.
Finally we have the chance for some justice, The Frank Connor and Trooper Werner Foerster Justice Act, (calls for the immediate extradition… of convicted felon Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and all other fugitives receiving safe haven in Cuba…) introduced into the senate in 2024 by new Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Senator Rick Scott is expected to reintroduce the bill in 2025. Similar legislation, The Walter Patterson and Werner Foerster Justice and Extradition Act was introduced by Chris Smith in the House.
In any event, new Secretary of State Rubio can demand and win the fugitives' return.
While these terrorists will receive ultimate judgement by a greater power, I urge Americans to request their representatives, senators, Secretary of State Rubio and President Trump to join in securing the return of these terrorists to face American Justice.
My father’s horrific death has haunted our family for generations. I promised my mom that we would get Morales back… She’ll be 87 soon.
We are in an ongoing war against terrorists. Let’s win!
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