ARGENTINE PROSECUTOR ON AMIA BOMBING DEVELOPMENT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001724 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL ASEC SNAR SCUL IR AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINE PROSECUTOR ON AMIA BOMBING DEVELOPMENT REF: (A) BUENOS AIRES 1695 (B) BUENOS AIRES 1420 ¶1. (U) As anticipated in ref A, Argentine Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman on December 16 ordered the attachment of real estate property in Buenos Aires allegedly belonging to former Iranian Embassy Cultural Attache in Argentina Mohsen Rabbani, one of six Iranian suspects sought by Interpol at Argentina's request for participation in the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA). According to the press, the properties are located at 3387/95 Gaona Avenue and 1111/35 Terrada in the Flores neighborhood, across the street from the Ezrah Jewish Hospital. Nisman reportedly ordered the attachment in connection with the civil action (ref B) filed by an AMIA neighbor seeking compensation for damages. ¶2. (SBU) Prosecutor Nisman told Legat on December 19 that he will subpoena and interview the occupants of five small-scale commercial establishments (a general store, a butcher, a pizzeria, a restaurant, and a telephone service center) and parking garage operating on the attached property to determine rents paid,contract details and other information of interest. ¶3. (SBU) Nisman also confirmed for Legat that he had formally requested that the governments of Germany and France freeze four accounts worth USD 48 million. One account with a balance of USD 38 million reportedly was in the name of Iranian former president Ali Hashemi Rafsanjani. Nisman intends to seek to attach these funds on behalf of the AMIA victims' relatives, some of whom are pursuing civil litigation against Iranian officials for their role in the bombing. Nisman further adivised that he will contact Judge Canicoba-Corral on December 22 or 23 to request authorization to amend his requests to Germany and France to include a claim for an additional USD 500 million in damges for the victims of the bombing and their families. ¶4. (U) On December 18, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner visited the AMIA bombing site, at which 85 persons were killed, for her first time as President. She had lunch with AMIA representatives, including President Guillermo Borger, and was accompanied by the Ministers of Justice and Interior, and promised the government's continuing efforts to bring the AMIA attackers to justice. "This is a fight for justice and truth," she said, "and for the victims, because no one has the right to take another's life." The head of the umbrella organization DAIA, the Delegation of Argentine Jewish Associations, Aldo Donzis, praised the good relations between the Jewish community and the Government of Argentina. WAYNE