Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BUENOSAIRES2455
2006-11-01 21:04:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

AMIA ARREST WARRANTS COULD COME EARLIER THAN

Tags:  PTER KJUS PREL PGOV AR FBI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0000
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2455/01 3052104
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 012104Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6362
INFO RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 0075
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/FBI WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002455 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA FOR A/S SHANNON, DAS DUDDY, DMCCARTHY
WHA/BSC FOR BARNES, FRIEDMAN, MOSS
NEA/IR FOR HWOOSTER
MADRID FOR DCM LLORENS
S/CT FOR ARNOLD SIERRA
NSC FOR JOSE CARDENAS
FBI FOR CTD IRAN-HIZBALLAH UNIT AND OIO AMERICAS UNIT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2016
TAGS: PTER KJUS PREL PGOV AR FBI
SUBJECT: AMIA ARREST WARRANTS COULD COME EARLIER THAN
ANTICIPATED

REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 2437

B. BUENOS AIRES 2411

C. BUENOS AIRES 2092

D. BUENOS AIRES 1612

Classified By: Charge d'affaires Michael Matera for
reasons 1.4(a) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L BUENOS AIRES 002455

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

WHA FOR A/S SHANNON, DAS DUDDY, DMCCARTHY
WHA/BSC FOR BARNES, FRIEDMAN, MOSS
NEA/IR FOR HWOOSTER
MADRID FOR DCM LLORENS
S/CT FOR ARNOLD SIERRA
NSC FOR JOSE CARDENAS
FBI FOR CTD IRAN-HIZBALLAH UNIT AND OIO AMERICAS UNIT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2016
TAGS: PTER KJUS PREL PGOV AR FBI
SUBJECT: AMIA ARREST WARRANTS COULD COME EARLIER THAN
ANTICIPATED

REF: A. BUENOS AIRES 2437

B. BUENOS AIRES 2411

C. BUENOS AIRES 2092

D. BUENOS AIRES 1612

Classified By: Charge d'affaires Michael Matera for
reasons 1.4(a) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: AMIA Prosecutor Alberto Nisman told CDA and
EmbOffs that Judge Canicoba Corral could issue arrest
warrants for the eight indictees as early as this Friday,
November 3. It was expected that Canicoba Corral would not
want the case sitting on his desk for any length of time, but
ratifying the prosecutors 801 page resolution and issuing
arrest warrants in just over a week is extraordinary and also
indicates that the Casa Rosada has given its tacit approval
that the process go forward. On a related note, Nisman
discussed what he described as the obvious links between the
AMIA attack and the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy. End
Summary.


2. (C) On November 1, CDA, A/LegAtt and PolOff met with AMIA
prosecutor Alberto Nisman. Nisman thanked the Embassy and
USG once again for its support for his efforts and for the
public statements of support following the October 25 release
of the investigative report and indictments (Ref. B). He
noted that his team was continuing with its investigation and
that there were still elements and leads they wanted more
information on, particularly regarding movements through the
Tri-Border Area. Nisman stated that he thought that Judge
Rodolfo Canicoba Corral could issue his decision, i.e. ratify
the prosecutors' resolution and issue arrest warrants for the
eight indictees, as earlier as this Friday, November 3.
Nisman said it was possible that the Judge's decision could
be pushed back a few days, but was, in any case, imminent.
Note: Once the Judge issues the warrants, he will instruct
Argentina's Interpol representative to transmit the

international capture notices, or "red notices," to Interpol.


3. (C) Comment: Nisman's news tracks with reports from
other sources and recent press reports. If Canicoba Corral
does issue the warrants on November 3, or early the following
week, it will be a clear indication that the Casa Rosada has
not tried to slow or halt the process, and, by not doing so,
has given its tacit approval for the Judge to go forward.


4. (C) Comment Continued: Judge Canicoba Corral's quick
handling of the prosecutors' report (if his decision is, in
fact, imminent) fits with Embassy's information on the Judge,
i.e. that he is not a "heavy lifter" and unlikely to seek
significant revisions. LegAtt notes that it is unusual in
Argentina for a federal penal judge to cede, or delegate, the
entire investigation to the prosecutors, as did Canicoba
Corral in the AMIA case. A likely reason for Canicoba
Corral's hands-off approach was to insulate himself
politically from any fallout in the event the investigation
failed to produce new indictments.


5. (C) With events moving quicker than anticipated, Embassy
can now more logically approach the GOA about the
government's anticipated next steps and ways we might be able
to coordinate outreach to other governments, and efforts in
regional and international fora to bring attention to the
warrants and pressure to bear on Iran and Hezbollah.


6. (C) On a related issue, CDA asked Nisman if the
investigation had provided any insight into the 1992 bombing
of the Israeli Embassy. Nisman said it was clear to him that
the same network and modus operandi (likely with different
personnel) used in the AMIA attack had been used in the
Embassy attack. Nisman said that the Supreme Court (which
has responsibility for investigating the attack because the
target was a foreign Embassy) could delegate the
investigation to the Prosecutor General, who in turn, could
assign it to the now-experienced AMIA Special Prosecutors
Unit. Nisman said this would be a logical step and would
jump-start the moribund investigation.


7. (U) Additional Biographic information on Judge Rodolfo
Canicoba Corral:

Canicoba Corral was born July 29, 1945 in the Federal
Capital. He is married with four children and has a law
degree from the University of Buenos Aires. He is a career
judicial employee and was appointed a Judge in the Federal
No.6 Criminal and Correctional Court in the Federal Capital
in 1993. He served briefly in 1992 as a Cabinet Advisor for
the Secretary of Justice in the Ministry of Justice. Prior
to entering the judicial sector, Canicoba Corral practiced
private law in the Province of Buenos Aires and has taught
criminal law and family law at the University of Buenos
Aires. He has authored three books on law related issues.
MATERA