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Cristina Fernandez to face trial on charges of covering up terrorist bombing

Friday, March 9th 2018 - 09:57 UTC
Full article 18 comments
Cristina Fernandez, who was president in 2007-2015, denies any wrongdoing or involvement in any cover-up involving Argentina’s worst terror attack. Cristina Fernandez, who was president in 2007-2015, denies any wrongdoing or involvement in any cover-up involving Argentina’s worst terror attack.
The 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association center in Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires killed 85 people and wounded hundreds The 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association center in Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires killed 85 people and wounded hundreds
The judge backed an assertion against Cristina Fernandez made on January 14, 2015, by Alberto Nisman, a prosecutor who was investigating the case. The judge backed an assertion against Cristina Fernandez made on January 14, 2015, by Alberto Nisman, a prosecutor who was investigating the case.

Former Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will face trial on charges she covered up the role of Iranians in a 1994 terrorist bombing at a Jewish center in Buenos Aires, judicial authorities announced.

Eleven other former officials and people close to Cristina Fernandez' government will also be tried on charges of cover-up and abuse of power, Federal Judge Claudio Bonadio said in a ruling released by Argentina’s official CIJ Judicial Information Center. The trial date has not been set.

So far, four of the accused have been detained. In December, Bonadio asked lawmakers to remove Cristina Fernández immunity from prosecution, which she gained last year when she was sworn in as a senator. Legislators have not acted on the request. The immunity protects her from being arrested, but she can still be tried.

Cristina Fernandez, who was president in 2007-2015, denies any wrongdoing or involvement in any cover-up involving Argentina’s worst terror attack. The 1994 bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association center in Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires killed 85 people and wounded hundreds. Iran denies any involvement.

The judge backed an assertion against Cristina Fernandez made on January 14, 2015, by Alberto Nisman, a prosecutor who was investigating the case. Nisman said the 2013 agreement that her government made with Iran in exchange for favorable deals on oil and other goods ensured that Iranian officials involved in the attack would escape prosecution.

Nisman was found dead in his apartment with a bullet wound in his right temple four days later. His case remains unsolved. But last year, an investigation by Argentina’s Gendarmerie agency concluded that Nisman was murdered, contradicting earlier official findings that Nisman likely killed himself.

Cristina Fernandez, blames the accusations against her on what she says is the bias of judges following orders from her conservative successor, President Mauricio Macri. She recently said she wanted to go on trial as soon as possible to prove the “arbitrariness of the accusation.”

The former president has defended the 2013 deal with Iran as a way to solve the bombing case. But Jewish groups and other criticized it at the time, saying Tehran had failed to turn over suspects.

A joint “truth commission” called for by the deal was approved by Argentina’s Congress but it was never formed because it was later ruled by local courts to be unconstitutional.

Categories: Politics, Argentina.

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  • LEPRecon

    Enrique

    You should care because any President who increases their own wealth by more than 1000% whilst in office isn't getting it from their salary. So where did she get all that money?

    Answer: She stole it from the PEOPLE of Argentina. And it's because of your beloved Cristina, and politicians like her, is why poverty in Argentina is so endemic.

    Argentina, which has the potential to be one of the richest and most successful countries in the world, left to be a pauper whilst your politicians and officials steal everything in sight. Which in turn means putting Argentine sailors onto badly maintained submarines, which in turn leads to their deaths, and humiliation for Argentina because your own Navy lied about it to the world.

    So tell me do you care if someone steals from you? Did you care about the Argentine sailors who died far from home in an unsafe death trap?

    Do you actually care about Argentina? Or are you only interested in how much money you can hustle out of the rampantly corrupt system?

    Are you one of those 'people' who claim a government salary but never does a days work?

    People like you, Enrique, is why Argentina will always remain a 'never was' country. You couldn't even make it to 'has been' status. At least a 'has been' did something worthwhile once.

    Mar 10th, 2018 - 09:42 pm +3
  • Zaphod Beeblebrox

    Reekie: “What money are you talking about?”

    ... as a black bin bag full of cash is thrown over the wall and hits him on the head. :-D

    Mar 12th, 2018 - 05:25 pm +3
  • ElaineB

    So EM thinks that CFK's crimes should just be ignored because she is no longer President. Haha. It is because she and her band of thieves are no longer in power that their illegal activities can be investigated.

    Nestor and Christina stole from the poor of Argentina. If it takes until her dying breath to prosecute her they should do it.

    Mar 12th, 2018 - 08:24 pm +3
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