Last update - 00:00 05/11/2007
Iran gives in on Interpol vote on Argentina Jewish center attack
By The Associated Press
Iran has backed away from an effort to stop Interpol from voting on whether to put five Iranians and a Lebanese man on the international police agency's most wanted list, an Interpol official said Monday.
Iran's decision clears the way for a vote on the issue at the three-day Interpol general assembly that began Monday in Marrakech, Morocco. Delegates will be asked to adjudicate a dispute between Interpol members Iran and Argentina over the deadly 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center.
Prosecutors in Argentina say they have enough evidence for Interpol's general assembly to approve red wanted notices for the six suspects - akin to placing them on its most wanted list.
In the run-up to the meeting, Iran had sought to delay the issue until next year, said an Interpol official on condition of anonymity because of agency policy. But Tehran did not formalize such a request as the three-day meeting opened.
The vote on whether to issue wanted notices is expected Wednesday. Interpol, whose executive committee recommended in March the issuance of the notices, is expected to outline arguments from both Argentina and Iran. Only a simple majority of delegates' votes is needed for approval.
A vote against Iran could be a powerful symbol at a time of high tension with the United States and other Western powers suspicious that Tehran is secretly trying to develop nuclear weapons. The United States also alleges that Iran is supplying insurgents in Iraq with deadly weapons that kill American troops. Iran denies both claims.
Whatever the outcome, Iran would be unlikely to hand over any suspect to Argentina, which has not brought anyone to justice over the July 18, 1994, attack that killed 85 people and shook the South American country's 200,000-strong Jewish community.
Authorities in Argentina say the case is not political, but Iran's ambassador to Buenos Aires has accused the United States and Israel of pressuring Interpol, which has 186 member countries.
Argentine prosecutors allege Iranian officials orchestrated the bombing and entrusted the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah to carry it out.
Among those wanted by Argentina are former Iranian intelligence chief Ali Fallahian, former Revolutionary Guard chief Mohsen Rezaei and Hezbollah militant Imad Moughnieh, one of the world's most sought-after terror suspects.
Many relatives of the victims are looking for support from Interpol because there have been no convictions 13 years after an explosives-laden van leveled the seven-story community center.
"This is good," Diana Malamud, "who lost her husband in the bombing, of the progress toward an Interpol vote. I believe that, insofar as any of them can be brought to Argentina to testify, that would be helpful. But I see it would be very difficult."
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