U/S BURNS AND A/S SHANNON HEAR ARGENTINE JEWISH COMMUNITY'S

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000322 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE P FOR HEIDI BRONKE WHA FOR TOM SHANNON, PATRICK DUDDY AND DEBRA MCCARTHY WHA/BSC FOR BARNES, FRIEDMAN, BLAKENEY AND CROFT S/CT FOR VIRGINA PALMER AND ARNOLD SIERRA NSC FOR JUAN ZARATE AND JOSE CARDENAS FBI FOR CTD IRAN-HIZBALLAH UNIT AND OIO AMERICAS UNIT DOJ FOR ALICE FISHER AND BRUCE SWARTZ E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: PTER PGOV PREL FBI IR AR SUBJECT: U/S BURNS AND A/S SHANNON HEAR ARGENTINE JEWISH COMMUNITY'S REQUEST FOR USG SUPPORT IN THE AMIA CASE AND PENDING INTERPOL RED NOTICES ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Representatives of AMIA (Argentine Israeli Mutual Association) and DAIA (Delegation of Argentine-Israeli Associations) welcomed Undersecretary Nicholas Burns and Assistant Secretary Tom Shannon to the AMIA building for a public wreath laying and a separate private meeting. The presidents of AMIA and DAIA (Delegation of Argentine-Israeli As5ociations) used the meeting to thank the USG for its past support and to stress that the GOA needs USG support at the upcoming March 13-16 meeting of the Interpol Executive Committee, where Argentina's request for issuing international capture notices (Red Notices) for the eight Iranian and one Lebanese suspects indicted in the 1994 terrorist bombing. Both the U/S and the A/S emphasized our shared history with terrorism and the need to fight terrorism and terrorist ideology and reiterated the USG's continued support for Argentina's search for justice. The wreath laying received significant media coverage. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) U.S. Participants: Undersecretary for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Thomas Shannon Ambassador E. Anthony Wayne William McIlhenny, S/P Heide Bronke, P Special Assistant William Godoy, Legal Attache David Alarid, Acting Political Counselor Christopher Anderson, Notetaker Argentine Participants: Luis Grynwald, AMIA President Dr. Angel Shindel, DAIA President Ten additional representatives from AMIA and DAIA ¶3. (SBU) Representatives of AMIA, DAIA, and the families of victims continue to seek justice for the 1994 terrorist attack that claimed 85 victims. AMIA President Luis Grynwald requested USG support in the upcoming March 13-15 meeting of the Interpol Executive Committee that will determine whether "Red Notices" will be issued for eight former Iranian government officials and one Lebanese Hizballah member accused of involvement in the bombing. He stressed the fight for justice was reaching its final stage and the fate of the investigation would be decided in the days to come. He reiterated that the GOA needed USG support to ensure success in the March Interpol proceedings. ¶4. (SBU) Grynwald also noted his concern with the 'increased penetration' of radical Islamic ideology in Latin America and the need for USG involvement if the region was to live in peace and not under a constant terrorist threat. Dr. Angel Shindel, the President of DAIA, echoed Grynwald's remarks and expressed his appreciation as well to Ambassador Wayne for bringing such high level USG attention to the cause of the AMIA bombings. ¶5. (SBU) Both U/S Burns and A/S Shannon expressed their sympathy for the victims of the bombing. U/S Burns noted the USG's shared experience with terrorism at the hand of Iran, while A/S Shannon highlighted the danger that Iran, as a state sponsor of terror, posed to all pluralist and tolerant societies. They reiterated the USG's strong support for Argentina's pursuit of justice in the case. U/S Burns laid wreaths at memorials commemorating the victims of the 1994 bombing, the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, and for Jewish victims of the 1976-83 military dictatorship.