B'nai B'rith Calls for Renewed Attention to AMIA Bombing 16 Years After Attack on Jewish Center

B’nai B’rith International is urging Congress to pass a bipartisan resolution that strongly condemns the July 18, 1994 attack on the Argentine-Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) building that killed 85 and wounded 300. The savage attack, on the heart of the largest Jewish community in Latin America, was carried out by the terror group Hezbollah, on orders from its patron Iran.

After years with no progress in the investigation, the last four year years have been promising. In 2006, an Argentine prosecutor detailed how top Iranian leaders including Hashemi Rafsanjani, Iran’s president at the time, ordered Hezbollah to kill Jews in Buenos Aires.

“In recent years, Argentina has demonstrated a renewed commitment to bringing the attackers to justice,” B’nai B’rith International President Dennis W. Glick said. “There is no statute of limitations on justice. Acts of terror must be answered with acts of law.”

B’nai B’rith supports H.Con.Res 295, which honors the terror victims and their families, and commends the Argentine government for continuing to investigate the bombing. The resolution also urges western governments to “draft, adopt, and implement legislation designating Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.” This includes banning fundraisers and recruitment activities and imposing penalties on Hezbollah supporters. The measure also calls on U.S. law enforcement to assist the Argentine government’s investigation.

“In the 16 years since the attack, Tehran has become an even greater threat to the world through its efforts to acquire nuclear weapons,” B’nai B’rith International Executive Vice President Daniel S. Mariaschin said. “This act of terror should have served as a clarion call to the global community. Investigators must now make up for lost time.”

With its deep ties throughout Latin America, B’nai B’rith has been urging a thorough investigation of the attack.