Paris, 25 August 2017

Former Argentine Ambassador to Syria, Roberto Ahuad, has testified to the Prosecutor who replaced the murdered Alberto Nisman, to  continue investigation into his predecessor's charges.

Nisman was due to present his report to the Argentine Congress the day following his presumed assassination,in which he claimed that in January 2011 former Foreign Minister Hector Timerman met with his Iranian counterpart in Aleppo, in order to negotiate a plan to close the investigation into the AMIA Jewish Centre bombing in Buenos Aires in 1994 that left 85 dead and more than 300 wounded.

The Wiesenthal Centre noted that "it was hardly surprised by the Ambassador's revelation of Assad hosting the Aleppo meeting.

"Nevertheless, the role of mass murderer of his own people, Bashar Assad, in endorsing Iranian terror against Diaspora Jews, highlights that Jews are targets anywhere and not just Israelis...", argued Dr. Shimon Samuels, the Center´s Director for International Relations, continuing, "Foreign Minister Timerman, a longtime acquaintance, called me to deny the Aleppo meeting hours following its media exposure... in any case, shortly before his death, Nisman personally confirmed to me the details of his charges."

Dr. Ariel Gelblung, Representative of the Wiesenthal Center for Latin America, said: "We hope that Ahuad's statement will be the first in the appearance of more witnesses and of evidence to substantiate Prosecutor Nisman's denunciation."