by Delisa Morris
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Right after accusing the Argentine government of a massive cover-up prosecutor Nisman was found dead. Before his untimely death he had drafted an affidavit calling for the arrest of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, detailed the lead investigator in the case, Tuesday.
Alberto Nisman was a special prosecutor hired to investigate the 1994 terrorist attack in Buenos Aires.
For 10 years, Nisman had been investigating the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentina’s history: the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center that left 85 dead and hundreds wounded.
Nisman alleged that Fernandez and her government tried to cover-up Iran’s role in the terrorist attack. Adding fuel to the fire with the affidavit for Fernandez’s arrest, Nisman’s death is raising more than a few eyebrows.
The draft document calling for President Fernandez’s arrest was found in a trash can at Nisman’s apartment, lead investigator Vivian Fein said. Fernandez was not the only name on the affidavit, there was also a call for the arrest of Foreign Minister Hector Timerman and several political supporters of the President.
There has been much speculation concerning the existence of the document, with denial even by the lead investigator. On Tuesday, however, Fein released a statement saying that there had been a miscommunication. She admitted the document existed and that it was included among the many documents gathered by police from Nisman’s apartment. All the documents are awaiting analysis, she said.
The draft affidavit warns the would-be judge that Fernandez, Timerman and the other subjects of his complaint could exert pressure on the judicial system, Clarin reported. Those he accuses, Nisman wrote, have a “total lack of scruples.”
Fernandez, who is out of the country in China, made no public comment on the matter.
Though Nisman may have contemplated the arrests, he never filed for an arrest warrant before his death.
Nisman’s report, totaling almost 300 pages, reported a massive cover up on the part of Argentina’s government of who was behind the 1994 bombing. Arrest warrants were issued to eight Iranian nationals believed responsible for the attack, in 2006.
Nisman claimed that Fernandez’s government helped orchestrate a bargain with Iran: Cash-strapped Argentina would get Iranian oil. Iran would get Argentine grain and meat. And the bombing would remain unsolved.
“The most important information in the investigation (by) Nisman is the Argentine government (wants) to take away (Iran’s responsibility in) the bombing of AMIA,” Bullrich said. “They want to destroy the investigation of the Argentine justice.”
Ten days after Nisman’s death, he was buried in a ceremony carried live on Argentinian television. His grave is in the same cemetery where victims of the 1994 explosion are buried.
For more information, please see:
BBC News – Argentina prosecutor Nisman ‘planned warrant’ for President Fernandez – 3 Feb. 2015
The New York Times – Draft of Arrest Request for Argentine President Found at Dead Prosecutor’s Home – 3 Feb. 2015
CNN – Dead Prosecutor Sought Arrest of Argentina’s President, Investigator Says – 3 Feb. 2015
USA Today – Argentine Official Drafted Arrest Warrant for President – 3 Feb. 2015
