Iran gives in on Interpol vote on Argentina Jewish center attack
Tehran clears way for vote on whether to add 5 Iranians to most wanted list for role in attack that killed 85.
By The Associated Press Tags: Iran L.A. Jewish center attack Jewish ArgentinaIran 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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Argentines attending the 10th anniversary of the bombing in Buenos Aires in 2004. (AP) |
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Argentina seems to have a well stocked reservs of baseless accusations about who did the bombing. A lot of investigative reporteres, some Jewish, in Argentina point the finger at internal forces. But in the face of Israel's polictial defeats lately, and its failure to create another war in the ME, another corrupt Argentinian so-called judge has gone all the way to Israel to tell them what makes them "happy". If that's what it takes to soothe your bruised psych, then be my guest and keep lying to yourselves and to the world.
To badd yuo never get them; we rule and rule we will
For the first time in so many years, something appears to move politically in solving the AMIA attack. It is to early to believe the trial condemning the iranians and their argentine accomplices will arrive to the necessary end, jailing the perpetrators. And let us not forget that two years earlier the Israeli Embassy was blown to pieces, by , no doubt , the same criminals. Lets wait and see.
It is about time that something is being done, even though it might be on such a small scale. The world is one community and it is about time to crack down on people who terrorise others. People like these cannot be catagorized under any religious belief. Some hide under Christianity,jeudisam some Islam.I believe they are all cowards and murderers. In the Qoran it says specifically that if you take an innocent life it is like taking the life of humanity , and if you save an innocent life it is like saving humanity so how can anyone claim they believe in Qoran while put a bomb some place to kill indiscriminatly.
We will see if they extradite them. . . Otherwise this is just a shrewd ploy.
the scum must be brought to justice. this is a small step in the right direction.