Congressmen ask Bush to press Argentina over AMIA bombing

04 November 2005

November 04, 2005

Twenty-five US legislators from both major parties has asked President Bush to press his Argentinean counterpart Néstor Kirchner to push for the resolution of the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center AMIA in Buenos Aires. The letter, signed by Congressmen Robert Wexler, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and 23 of their colleagues, praises Kirchner for removing obstacles earlier administrations had placed in the way of the investigation. However, it notes with concern that Interpol, under Iranian pressure, recently withdrew 12 international arrest warrants for Iranians believed to be involved in the attack, which killed 85 people and left hundreds wounded. The signatories of the ask Bush to tell Kirchner that despite the setback, Argentine authorities must “not lose faith in the righteousness of their cause.” They want Kirchner to issue new arrest warrants for the Iranians. Bush is currently in the Argentinean capital Buenos Aires, where he is to meet leaders of other member states of the Organization of American States.