DATE=7/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235652
TITLE=ARGENTINA BOMBING (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GEORGE MEEK
DATELINE=RIO DE JANEIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: RELATIVES OF THE 86 PEOPLE KILLED IN THE BOMBING OF THE
JEWISH CULTURAL CENTER IN BUENOS AIRES FOUR YEARS AGO HAVE
OBSERVED THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE ATTACK WITH A FRESH CALL FOR
JUSTICE. WE HAVE DETAILS FROM V-O-A'S CORRESPONDENT GEORGE MEEK
IN OUR SOUTH AMERICA BUREAU.
TEXT: DEMONSTRATORS LIT 86 CANDLES IN FRONT OF THE JEWISH
CULTURAL CENTER IN MEMORY OF LOVED ONES WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN
THE STILL-UNPUNISHED ATTACK THAT OCCURRED FOUR YEARS AGO
SATURDAY.
ONE VICTIM'S MOTHER, SOFIA GUTERMAN, SAID AUTHORITIES ARE
INSULTING THE DEAD BY INEPT PROSECUTION OF THE CASE. THE HEAD OF
ARGENTINE JEWISH ASSOCIATIONS, RUBEN BERAJA, SAYS THE COMMUNITY
WANTS JUSTICE,NOT VENGEANCE. GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, WHO WERE
BOOED DURING LAST YEAR'S ANNIVERSARY OBSERVANCE OF THE ATTACK,
DID NOT TAKE PART IN IT THIS YEAR.
THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL, AND JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS IN ARGENTINA
ACCUSE PRO-IRANI MILITANTS OF THE ATTACK ON THE CULTURAL CENTER
AND THE BOMBING OF THE ISRAELI EMBASSY IN BUENOS AIRES IN 1992,
WHICH KILLED 29 PEOPLE. IRAN HAS REPEATEDLY DENIED INVOLVEMENT
IN BOTH INCIDENTS, AND SAYS ARGENTINA HAS BEEN UNDULY INFLUENCED
BY PRESSURE FROM THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL IN THE CASE.
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND IRAN WERE SHARPLY CUT
BACK TWO MONTHS AGO FOLLOWING THE ARREST OF EIGHT IRANIANS
SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE BOMB ATTACK ON THE CULTURAL
CENTER. THE SUSPECTS SAID THE FORMER CULTURAL ATTACHE OF THE
IRANI EMBASSY IN BUENOS AIRES, MOHSSEN RABBANI, WAS INVOLVED IN
PLANNING THE BOMBING. HE WAS EXPELLED FROM ARGENTINA IN DECEMBER.
A FORMER IRANIAN SPY LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES AS A POLITICAL
REFUGEE, MANOUCHER MOATAMER, HAS ALSO IMPLICATED MR. RABBANI.
NEB/GM/PT
17-Jul-98 5:14 PM EDT (2114 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
