Argentina Takes Steps Forward, 18 Years Later Ex-President Menem to Stand Trial for Cover-Up in AMIA Bombing

by Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – A former Argentinian President will finally stand trial for the corruption scandals he was tied to during his terms in office.  Carlos Menem was directed to stand trial last week, by federal judge Ariel Lijo, for his involvement in the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) building.

Carlos Menem to stand trial for tampering with evidence in worst terrorist attack ever to take place in Argentina. (Photo Courtesy of J Space)

The 1994 bombing completely wiped out the seven-story building.  There were 85 deaths, and more than 300 people injured, when a truck loaded with explosives drove straight into the structure.  Argentina, has the largest community of Jewish citizens in the Americas, outside the United States.

At the time, Argentinian prosecutors said the attack was planned and paid for by Iran who hired the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to carry it out.  Iran has adamantly denied any involvement.  Following the bombing relations between Iran and Argentina were completely frozen.  Argentina sought for years to extradite eight Iranian officials who allegedly masterminded the bombing.  No conviction, or even trial has ever been held regarding the attack.

In 2009 Menem was first accused of concealing and tampering with evidence that indicated the attack at AMIA had a Syrian connection.  Menem is the child of two Syrian immigrants.  A close family friend who died in 2010, Alberto Kanoore Edul, a Syrian-Argentine businessman, is alleged to have been involved.  It is believed that Menem ordered his staff to destroy evidence that linked Edul to the attack.

Judge Lijo has also issued that former judge Jose Galeano, who was in charge of the investigation, stand trial.  Menem is accused of pressuring Galeano to abandon further inquiries into Edul’s involvement.  Other officials also called to stand trial were: the former head of state intelligence, Hugo Anzorreguy; his deputy Juan Carlos Anchezar; former police chief Jorge Palacios; and a former federal police agent.

The Israel UN envoy in the US praised this “re-energizing” action and gave Argentina credit for rechecking the facts and trying to clear up and close the case.  In the past 18 years almost nothing has been done to investigate the attack.

Menem served two-terms as President of Argentina.  He was a member of the Peronist party and in the beginning he was very popular with the public.  However, his popularity decreased as his personal scandals and tough free-market policies alienated him from the public.  Corruption scandals emerged towards the end of his second-term, including charges of smuggling arms to Ecuador and Croatia in the 1990s.  He was recently cleared of these charges.

 

For more information, please see;

Buenos Aires Herald – AMIA Inquiry: Judge Announces Menem, Galeano to Stand Trial – 7 April 2012

J Space – Ex-Argentinian President to Stand Trial for AMIA Attack – 2 April 2012

Merco Press – Former President to Stand Trial in Relation to Argentina’s Deadliest Terrorist Attack – 1 April 2012

European Jewish Press – AMIA Bombing: Argentina’s Carlos Menem to be Tried for Obstruction – 31 March 2012

BBC – Argentina’s Carlos Menem Faces Bombing Trial – 30 March 2012

Author: Impunity Watch Archive