Argentine prosecutors have made a preliminary accusation against President Cristina Kirchner for covering up Iran’s involvement in a 1994 Buenos Aires terrorist bombing, advancing a case made by their colleague Alberto Nisman before he was found dead under mysterious circumstances on Jan. 18. A judge is now responsible for deciding whether the case will be investigated further. From the Guardian:
Nisman had alleged that Fernandez entered into “an alliance with terrorists” starting in 2011 to exonerate five Iranian suspects from responsibility in the Amia Jewish community center bombing. Based on Nisman’s complaint, the president, foreign minister Héctor Timerman and legislator Andrés Larroque stand accused of concealment and obstruction, for trying to hide the responsibility of the five suspects.
The government reacted to news of the charges with anger on Friday. “This is an active judicial coup,” said cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich on Friday. “There is no proof at all. The people have to know that this is a vulgar lie, an enormous press operation.”
Nisman believed that Kirchner agreed to squelch evidence of Iran’s involvement in the bombing in order to advance trade negotiations between the two countries. Kirchner has said that Nisman was manipulated by rogue elements of the Argentine intelligence service.
