ARGENTINE JUDGE ORDERS ATTACHMENT OF ADDITIONAL

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000247 SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PTER KJUS FBI AR IR SUBJECT: ARGENTINE JUDGE ORDERS ATTACHMENT OF ADDITIONAL PROPERTIES BELONGING TO IRANIAN OFFICIAL REF: (A) BUENOS AIRES 0150 (B) 08 BUENOS AIRES 1724 (C) 08 BUENOS AIRES 1695 (D) 08 BUENOS AIRES 1420 ¶1. (SBU) As anticipated in ref A, Argentine Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman obtained from federal judge Rodolfo Canicoba-Corral an order for the attachment of real estate property in Buenos Aires province 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). ¶2. (SBU) According to the press, the suburban properties are located outside Buenos Aires city limits, four in Canuelas and one in Ciudadela. "Clarin" reported that the latter property had been used by a pro-Iranian radio station, FM 90.7, "Casa para la difusion del Islam" ("Islam Broadcast House"). ¶3. (SBU) Judge Canicoba ordered the attachment in the context of a civil suit brought by an unnamed survivor of the AMIA attack represented by attorney Pablo Jacoby, who is seeking one million dollars in damages from Iran, Hizballah, and the individuals charged in the criminal case. On the basis of a determination by prosecutor Nisman that found Iran and Hizballah shared responsibility for the consequences of the AMIA attack, Judge Canicoba had in 2008 ordered the attachment of assets belonging to Hizballah, former Iranian president Rafsanjani, former Iranian information minister Ali Fallahijan, former foreign minister Ali Velayati, former ambassador Hadi Soleimanpour, former Revolutionary Guard commander Moshen Rezahi, former "Al Quds" chief Ahmad Vahidi, former Iranian embassy officer Ahmad Ashgari and Rabbani. ¶4. (SBU) At a March 5 meeting with Legat, Nisman explained that Judge Canicoba-Corral authorized him to conduct further investigations to identify assets (real estate and money) belonging to the accused, and further authorized the freezing of their assets, both in Argentina and Europe. However, a civil court judge will have to handle the forfeiture of these assets at a later time, and Nisman will not be part of that action. ¶5. (SBU) Regarding the European accounts (ref B, para 3), Nisman acknowledged that France and Germany had the banks in their jurisdiction with the judicial orders, signed by Judge Canicoba-Corral, but said he had not received official notice that the banks had actually frozen the accounts. WAYNE