Trial of Former Argentine President Accused of 'Collusion with Iran' Begins

Argentinian judicial officials say the trial of the former president of that country on charges of 'collusion with Iran' in connection with the 1994 bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires is set to begin. An Argentine judge announced on March 5 that Cristina Kirchner Fernández and 11 senior officials from her government will be tried in a public court. Ms. Fernández, who served as Argentina's president from 2007 to 2015, is accused of colluding with the Islamic Republic to 'conceal' Iran's involvement in the 1994 bombing, known as AMIA, which resulted in the deaths of 85 people. Cristina Kirchner Fernández has described these accusations as 'nonsense' and denied them. The Islamic Republic of Iran has denied any involvement in the bombing. Judge Claudio Bonadio has now issued a ruling to conclude the investigation phase of the case, meaning the trial process will begin. A specific date for the first court session has not yet been set. Judge Bonadio requested the lifting of Ms. Kirchner Fernández's judicial immunity at the end of last year; she is currently a senator. However, lawmakers did not comply with the judge's request. Therefore, her arrest is not legally possible, but her trial does not require the lifting of immunity. Four other defendants have been arrested. The investigation into the bombing at the Jewish community center dates back more than two decades. At that time, the Lebanese group Hezbollah was accused of this deadly operation, with Tehran being its main supporter. Interpol has issued arrest warrants in connection with this case for Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the then-president, Ali Fallahian, the then-minister of intelligence, Ali Akbar Velayati, the then-foreign minister, and Mohsen Rezaei, the then-commander of the Revolutionary Guards. In 2015, the body of the prosecutor of the case, Alberto Nisman, was found. Last January, an Argentine federal judge stated that Nisman 'was murdered' and did not commit suicide, as previously reported. In the days before his death, Prosecutor Nisman had accused Ms. Kirchner Fernández of colluding with the Islamic Republic of Iran to cover up the investigation into the 1994 explosion.