Argentine prosecutor into 1994 bombing found dead while under guard

25 posts / 0 new

Tue, 2015-01-20 10:26

josh

Police sentries guarded the federal prosecutor’s luxury high-rise building. His door on the 13th floor had been locked from the inside, and a gun with a spent cartridge was found on the floor near his body. There was no suicide note.

Just one day earlier, on Saturday, the prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, said, “I might get out of this dead.”

From the moment 10 years ago when he was assigned to investigate the 1994 suicide bombing of a Jewish center here that left 85 people dead, Mr. Nisman, an even-keeled lawyer, became entangled in a labyrinthine plot that he traced to Iran and its militant Lebanese ally, Hezbollah.

But it was only in the past week that Mr. Nisman, 51, leveled explosive accusations that top Argentine officials, including President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, had conspired with Iran to cover up responsibility for the bombing as part of a deal that would supply Iranian oil to Argentina. Now, the mystery has deepened with the discovery of Mr. Nisman’s body on Sunday — the day before he was to testify before lawmakers about those accusations.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/20/world/americas/alberto-nisman-found-dead-argentina-amia.html?_r=0

Tue, 2015-01-20 10:49

lagatta

The AMIA bombing repercussions continue. I remember that back then, the Argentine government expressed its sympathies to the ISRAELI embassy. The people murdered in the bombing were Argentinians. A group of family and friends of the dead has long campaigned for the truth and proper compensation, including possible involvement by Argentinian figures - remember that the dictatorship was viciously anti-semitic.

For babblers who read Spanish, Pagina/12 is a very good leftwing daily and has lots of material on the Nisman death and backstory. I haven't had time to read any of the articles yet. http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/ultimas/index.html

An aside: Bibi will be in ecstasy. Back when, Zionist leaders leapt on this bombing to convince Argentinian Jews to emigrate to Israel, just as they are doing now in France. Remember that they did sweet f-all to help the leftists and liberal democrats of Jewish origin who were being tortured, murdered and "disappeared" under the dictatorship. Wrong kind of Jews, I guess.

Tue, 2015-01-20 10:58

josh

The circumstances of Nisman's death are beyond suspicious. It could have been a suicide, but having come all this way, and on the eve of his report, it doesn't strike me as likely. Sometimes the most obvious explanation is the correct one. Whether it be Beningno Aquino, Benazhir Buttho or Grigoris Lambrakis.

Tue, 2015-01-20 11:45

lagatta

More on this from Uki Goni, in the Guardian:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/20/alberto-nisman-death-highli...

Oh, I agree that this is beyond suspicious. The famous investigative journalist Horacio Verbitsky lists several other preposterous "suicides" in Argentina:

http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elpais/1-264334-2015-01-20.html

but cautions against necessarily concluding that the Kirchner government is the culprit.

Another important point. The Association is the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association Asociación mutual israelita argentina, which has been mistranslated as "Israeli". The association is 120 years old, many decades older than Israel. "Israelite" was an old, more "polite" term for Jewish, especially in Latin languages, with "positive" Biblical associations.

Thu, 2015-01-29 13:58

lagatta

Bumping this thread to continue the Argentina discussion here.

Thu, 2015-01-29 14:24

Unionist

lagatta wrote:

Another important point. The Association is the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association Asociación mutual israelita argentina, which has been mistranslated as "Israeli". The association is 120 years old, many decades older than Israel. "Israelite" was an old, more "polite" term for Jewish, especially in Latin languages, with "positive" Biblical associations.

Correct. Nothing to do with Israel. Same in the liturgy over the centuries - "am yisrael", "people of Israel", just means the Jewish people.

Now I have to go back and try to digest all this new information.

Thu, 2015-01-29 18:23

josh

Thanks.

No Gun powder was found on Nisman's hands

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/28/americas/argentina-prosecutor-alberto-nism...

Sat, 2015-01-31 19:16

NorthReport

What Happened to Alberto Nisman?

http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/happened-alberto-nisman

Sat, 2015-01-31 19:29

josh

After reading that, I feel like I know less than before.

Mon, 2015-02-02 12:10

#10

NorthReport

It often appears when crimes are committed a lot of noise is created to obfuscate what happened.

Kinda reminds me of Canadian politics as well.

Argentina loses its intelligence

http://www.ipolitics.ca/2015/02/01/argentina-loses-its-intelligence/

Tue, 2015-02-03 14:49

#11

josh

Alberto Nisman, the prosecutor whose mysterious death has gripped Argentina, had drafted a warrant for the arrest of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, accusing her of trying to shield Iranian officials from responsibility in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish center here, the lead investigator into his death said on Tuesday.

The 26-page document, which was found in the garbage at Mr. Nisman’s apartment, also requested the arrest of Héctor Timerman, Argentina’s foreign minister. Both Mrs. Kirchner and Mr. Timerman have repeatedly denied Mr. Nisman’s accusation that they tried to reach a secret deal with Iran to lift international arrest warrants for Iranian officials wanted in connection with the bombing.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/04/world/americas/argentina-prosecutor-alberto-nisman-arrest-warrant-cristina-de-kirchner.html?smid=tw-bna&_r=2

Tue, 2015-02-03 17:21

#12

NorthReport

Thanks josh.

It does appear now that we have a smoking gun, and my hunch is that it is pointing in the right direction. Kind of sloppy coverup though if true.

Tue, 2015-02-03 17:45

#13

josh

Not necessarily that simple.

http://m.thenation.com/blog/196809-black-bag-baroque-death-argentina

Tue, 2015-02-03 17:54

#14

NorthReport

Thanks again josh.

This is starting to sound like the Kennedy assassination, or the Jimmy Hoffa disappearance, where the real culprits will never, ever, be found.

Mon, 2015-02-09 21:28

#15

NorthReport

Argentine President set to leave office and a divided nation

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/argentine-president-set-to-lea...

Fri, 2015-02-13 14:45

#16

josh

Argentine president Cristina Kirchner has been formally accused of shielding Iranian officials from prosecution over a 1994 bombing at a Buenos Aires Jewish centre, prosecutors say.

The new prosecutor in the case, Gerardo Pollicita, has accused Ms Kirchner, foreign minister Hector Timerman and other government officials of mounting a cover-up and violating their duties, according to a prosecution statement.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-02-14/argentine-leader-formally-accused-of-bombing-cover-up/6096932

Wed, 2015-02-18 14:34

#17

NorthReport

Buenos Aires march to honour Alberto Nisman amid accusations of 'soft coup'

Demonstration in support of prosecutor comes as divide between supporters and opponents of President Fernández, who Nisman was investigating when he died

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/18/buenos-aires-march-alberto-...

Wed, 2015-02-18 14:35

#18

NorthReport

Argentina asks US to press Iran on 1994 bombing during nuclear talks

Attack on Jewish center is backdrop for ongoing political saga in which state prosecutor has mysteriously died and sitting president may face charges

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/17/argentina-1994-bombing-iran...

Sun, 2015-02-22 19:12

#19

U.S. helped Nisman's investigation in the direction of Iran. Wikileaks Cables show his close cooperation with the Departments of State and Justice https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09BUENOSAIRES592_a.html

Argentina Spy Agency worked closely with CIA and Mossad. They steered Nisman away from other possible suspects including agents from Syria and people closely associated with Pres Carlos Menem.

Spies, Lies And A President: Argentina Protests Murder Mystery

Mon, 2015-02-23 00:50

#20

NDPP

The Politicization of the AMIA Investigation: Pretext For Regime Change in Argentina?

http://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2015/02/09/politicization-amia-inv...

Argentine internal security and intelligence operatives have been working to topple their own government. The AMIA case has been politicized on two fronts. One front is a domestic struggle and the other is in the realm of international relations. Opinions are being galvanized inside Argentina as the lines are hardened..."

Tue, 2015-02-24 22:08

#21

Argentina's Nisman Saga: Getting To The Bottom Of A Prosecutor's Death

The mysterious death of the man who accused Argentina's president of covering up a terrorist attack has the world scratching its head. A former advisor for Argentina at the UN tries to piece the puzzle talks about:

Undermining memorandum of inderstanding and further diplomacy between Iran and Argentina
U.S. not interested in blaming the Syrian regime at the time
Why accusations that Pres. Kirchner of shielding Iranian officials and exchange for oil do not make sense

Mon, 2015-03-02 17:44

#22

Cleared of cover-up charges, Argentina's president comes out swinging

Argentina's scandal-hit president came out swinging with a fiery speech about justice on Sunday, retaking the initiative three days after being cleared of allegations that she tried to derail an investigation into a deadly 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires.

Fri, 2015-03-06 12:41

#23

bekayne

NS wrote:

Argentina's Nisman Saga: Getting To The Bottom Of A Prosecutor's Death

The mysterious death of the man who accused Argentina's president of covering up a terrorist attack has the world scratching its head. A former advisor for Argentina at the UN tries to piece the puzzle talks about:

Undermining memorandum of inderstanding and further diplomacy between Iran and Argentina

U.S. not interested in blaming the Syrian regime at the time

Why accusations that Pres. Kirchner of shielding Iranian officials and exchange for oil do not make sense

The fellow running Syria then, what was his name again?