Latin America

Kirchner charged in AMIA bombing coverup

If (as seems likely) Argentine AMIA bombing prosecutor Alberto Nisman was murdered rather than committing suicide; and if the purpose of the murder was to derail legal proceedings against President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and other top government officials in connection with covering up Iran’s role in the 1994 atrocity which killed 85 people; then it appears to have failed.

The federal prosecutor who has taken over the case of Alberto Nisman, the Argentina investigator who was found dead after accusing the president of covering up the country’s worst ever terrorist attack, has formally accused Cristina Kirchner – giving his support to his late colleague.

Gerardo Pollicita took over the case following the death of Nisman on January 18. Nisman had spent a decade looking into the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish centre, AMIA, that left 85 people dead, including a young child.

On January 14 Nisman accused Mrs Kirchner of attempting to cover up Iranian responsability for the AMIA bombing, in return for favourable oil and grain deals.

On January 20 he was due to present his findings to Congress – but his body was found hours before his scheduled appearance, inside his apartment.

Update: At least one member of Argentina’s parliament believes the Iranian regime was involved in Nisman’s death.

Further update: And now the Argentine government is accusing the courts of attempting a “judicial coup.”