Argentina

The National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council, meeting in plenary session in Washington, D.C., expresses the solidarity of the American Jewish community with the Jewish community in Argentina. Our brethren in Buenos Aires have been targeted for vicious terrorist attacks. The bomb that destroyed the seven story building housing the Delegation of Argentine Israelite Associations (DAIA) and the Jewish Argentina Mutual Aid Society (AMIA) in July 1994 dealt a severe blow to all of Argentine Jewry that to this day is deeply felt among American Jews as well. The Argentine nation suffered the effects of this single act of terrorism, in which nearly 100 people were killed, hundreds more were wounded, and the precious, irreplaceable archives of Argentine Jewish history were severely damaged.

It is deplorable that the Argentine government’s investigation of this tragic incident has not produced any indictments. Also shameful is the failure of authorities to find anyone responsible for the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires. The inability of authorities to find anyone responsible for either bombing places Argentina in the category of a “soft target” which raises fears of future attacks.

The NJCRAC acknowledges the fear and indignation of the Argentine Jewish community and reaffirms its solidarity with them. Furthermore, the NJCRAC calls on the United States government to urge:

• President Carlos Menem to expedite a thorough investigation of the bombing and punish those responsible.

• the Argentine government to take all appropriate measures to prevent future attacks.

• appoint a full-time investigator, a judge or special prosecutor with adequate staff, whose sole responsibility is the investigation of these terrorist assaults.

• in keeping with pledges made at the Summit of the Americas, encourage the governments of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil to step up cooperation on anti-terrorism, by training customs officials to deal with terrorism and instituting computerization of border crossing records, as well as by sharing international information on terrorists operating within the region. 

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