CODEL ENGEL VISITS AMIA AND DISCUSSES CONCERN OVER

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000246 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS WHA/BSC FOR DRUCKER, FRIEDMAN, AND SLATTERY NEA/IR FOR HWOOSTER S/CT FOR VIRGINIA PALMER AND ARNOLD SIERRA NSC FOR JUAN ZARATE AND JOSE CARDENAS FBI FOR CTD IRAN-HIZBALLAH UNIT AND OIO AMERICAS UNIT E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR FBI SUBJECT: CODEL ENGEL VISITS AMIA AND DISCUSSES CONCERN OVER IRAN AND VENEZUELA WITH JEWISH LEADERS REF: (A) BUENOS AIRES 0225 (B) BUENOS AIRES 0226 (C) BUENOS AIRES 0229 (D) BUENOS AIRES 0242 (E) BUENOS AIRES 0244 ¶1. (SBU) Summary. On February 22, Ambassador Wayne and a visiting U.S. Congressional delegation headed by Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) met with the political leadership of the Argentine Jewish community (DAIA) and the President of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA). During the meeting, DAIA representatives asked that the U.S. Congress (USC) use its political influence on their counterparts in other Parliaments worldwide to seek commitments of support for any possible extradition requests related to the 1994 terrorist bombing of the AMIA Jewish cultural center. Engel assured the DAIA and AMIA leadership that the USC would do all it can to help bring the perpetrators of the crimes to justice. ¶2. (SBU) Engel expressed the USC's concern over Iran's growing influence in the region, particularly the Bolivian President Evo Morales' announcement that Iran will establish a regional TV channel in Bolivia. Representative Jerry Weller (R-IL) encouraged the DAIA leadership to raise the issue with the GOA, asserting that Argentina is well-placed to be a moderating influence in the region. Engel also expressed concern over the Venezuelan government's continued harassment of its Jewish community, and asked whether a future CODEL visit to highlight the issue would help or hurt the community. The DAIA's leadership called the situation "sensitive" and stated that it would be best for the USC to consult directly with the Venezuelan community. End summary. -------------- Participants -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On February 22, Ambassador Wayne and visiting U.S. Congressional delegation headed by Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) met with the political leadership of the Argentine Jewish community, the Delegation of Argentine-Israeli Associations (DAIA). Other participants included Representatives Virginia Foxx (R-NC),Gene Greene (D-TX), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY),and Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL). DAIA participants included Vice President Angel Schindel, Third Vice President Julio Schlosser, Secretary General Michael Angel Zechin, and International Affairs Advisor Alfredo Neuberger. Also in attendance was Argentine Ambassador to the United States Hector Timerman and AMIA President Luis Grynwald. -------------- DAIA Requests Support for AMIA Extraditions -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Schindel thanked the Congressional delegation for their visit, calling it a sign of the USG's ongoing commitment to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 1994 attack on the AMIA cultural center. There has been progress on the AMIA case, he said, adding that Interpol voted in November 2007 to issue international arrest warrants, or "Red Notices", for six suspects, including Hezbollah leader Imad Mughniyeh who died in a car bombing on February 12. Representative Engel stated that while he is not a violent man, Mughniyeh's death meant "there is one less terrorist in the world." Schindel lamented that many have been quick to blame Israel for Mughniyeh's death, when rival terrorist groups may be the ones responsible. Since the attack, the Argentine Jewish community has been on alert as there have been increased threats against Israel and the Jewish community worldwide, he stated. ¶5. (SBU) Although there has been progress on the international aspects of the AMIA terrorist bombing, Argentina and the Jewish community are still waiting for justice to be served for local accomplices in the AMIA attack and the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing, he continued. Schindel recounted that the first investigation into "the local connection" ended in acquittal for the suspects, and noted that the Supreme Court investigation into the Embassy attack continues to this day. He asked that the Representatives use their influence with their counterparts in other Parliaments worldwide to seek a commitment from those governments to support any possible extradition requests related to the AMIA bombing in the future. ¶6. (SBU) Engel assured the DAIA and AMIA leadership that the U.S. Congress would do all it can to help bring the perpetrators of the crimes to justice. The American people and the Argentine Jewish community are united in the cause against terrorism, hatred, and anti-Semitism, he said. Although the Jewish Diaspora has faced a long history of hatred and persecution, modern terrorism aims not only to destroy a people, but an entire society. He stressed that it is therefore critical that people of good will stand up to fight the threat of terrorism. -------------- --- Concern over Growing Iranian Influence in Region -------------- --- ¶7. (SBU) Engel explained that the reason for the CODEL's visit to the region was to speak out against the Iranian government's attempts to spread propaganda in Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Weller added that they raised with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) their concern over Bolivian President Evo Morales' February 18 announcement that Iran will open a regional television station in Bolivia. He expressed concern that the channel will be used as a vehicle to broadcast anti-Israel, anti-U.S., and anti-Semitic propaganda. Weller encouraged the DAIA to raise this issue with the GOA, as Argentina is well-placed to be a moderating influence in the region and can point out to its neighbors that allowing such an operation is a mistake. ¶8. (SBU) Schindel agreed that this is an issue of mutual concern, and added that Argentina's public television channel airs Arab programs that rail against the Jewish community over the issue of Palestine. He indicated that the DAIA has requested meetings with GOA officials to discuss the issue. He also asserted that the GOI is using petrodollars to exert influence in poor Argentine communities to promote extreme fundamentalism which threatens the peaceful coexistence Argentine Jewish and Muslim communities have had for decades. ¶9. (SBU) Neuberger also underscored the importance of speaking out against hate speech, and expressed dismay that not enough countries from "the democratic world" condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's latest verbal attack on Israel, likening the country to "a dirty microbe." Neuberger emphasized that "we need help to sway public opinion that this is not a Jewish or American issue, but humanity's issue" and asked that the U.S. Congress actively raise this concern with their Parliamentary colleagues around the world. Engel agreed, noting that the U.S. Congress has raised this issue in its Inter-parliamentarian dialogue with the EU. He stated that the Europeans have the unfortunate tendency to "wear blindfolds", even though there could be a negative impact on Europe should Iran carry out its threats to "wipe Israel off the map" given geographical proximity. He added that the international community must work to deal with the possibility of a nuclear Iran because "Israel and the United States can't do it alone." -------------- -------------- Concern over Embattled Venezuelan Jewish Community -------------- -------------- ¶10. (SBU) Grynwald then noted DAIA's growing concern over the emerging Tehran-Damascus-Caracas axis. Engel stated that Washington is deeply concerned about the many reports regarding Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's continued harassment of the Venezuelan Jewish community. He characterized the BRV's December 1, 2007 raid on its main Jewish community center in the search for illicit weapons as "ridiculous". He asked whether these threats are serious, and what the U.S. Congress's response should be. He explained that he had received conflicting advice, with one side arguing that he should visit Caracas to call attention to the plight of Venezuela's Jews in order to halt further BRV harrassment, and another side arguing that he should not go as it would only make the situation worse for the community. Schindel stated that this was a very sensitive issue and advised that the U.S. Congress consult with the Venezuelan Jewish community itself. He noted that the BRV's raid came a few months after CFK had traveled to Venezuela to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Venezuelan Jewish community where she delivered a speech harshly criticizing terrorism. Not a single BRV official attended, he observed. ¶11. (U) Cable cleared by Codel Engel. NOT/NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. KELLY