Paris, 21 August 2024
In a letter to Patricia Bullrich, Argentina ’s Security Minister, Dr Shimon Samuels, former Director for International Relations of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, congratulated her for the capture of a group of terrorists planning to murder members of the Jewish community in the city of Mendoza, this week. It appears to be an attempt by the Taliban, but could likely be connected to Iran, in the current context of the regime’s murderous intent against Israel – and the Jews by association – through any possible means.
The same had applied in Buenos Aires this January, with two Syrians and a Lebanese plotting attacks in the capital.
In January, we had called on Argentina to renew its request to INTERPOL, regarding the perpetrators of the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Centre in Buenos Aires back in 1994. That terror attack, carried out by Iranian operatives and a Lebanese member of Hezbollah, had left 85 dead and over 300 wounded. Argentine President Javier Milei had followed up to reiterate INTERPOL’s Red Notices on the surviving Iranian terrorists, who have meanwhile become high officials of the Islamic regime.
Iranian suspects of the 1994 AMIA bombing, on Red Notice by INTERPOL.
We also hope for the reopening of the case regarding the 86th victim of the AMIA affair, Prosecutor Alberto Nisman, assassinated on the eve of his presentation to the Argentine Congress of his report unveiling the network of Iran-affiliated operatives in 9 countries across South America.
(Left) Samuels with Nisman in London, weeks before his assassination in 2015.
(Right) A chart depicting the Iranian-sponsored South American terrorist network.
Samuels recalled, “On a visit to the Triple Frontier area – the intersection of borders between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay – I could see Shia Mullahs in massive sedans by the huge Mosque of Foz do Iguaçu. Once a convenient hideout for Nazi war criminals, the Triple Frontier area has also been a base for a number of criminal and terrorist groups, who can easily escape across the border to avoid local police takedowns.”
“On the 24th anniversary of the AMIA bombing, in July 2018, we had organized, together with the Henry Jackson Society, a commemorative conference in the British Parliament, Chaired by Lord Trimble, Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Among the speakers was the Argentine Ambassador, an AMIA bombing survivor and an expert on universal jurisdiction and extradition procedures, Michael Caplan QC, who argued that ‘if any of the Iranian suspects were to land on British soil, in view of the INTERPOL Red Notice, he must be stopped and detained. The Police would then inform Argentina, whereupon Buenos Aires would issue a request for arrest and extradition’.”
Sadly, since 2018, INTERPOL has had little chance to implement its Red Notices.
Samuels urged President Milei and Minister Bullrich to bring forward another option:
Argentina should appeal to the International Criminal Court (ICC), to open a case against Iran’s past state-sponsored terrorist acts – in particular, the 1994 AMIA and the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombings in Buenos Aires – as well as its persistent threats against Argentina.
Argentina, welcome to the Hague!
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