(JTA) — A former judge in Argentina and a spy chief were jailed for their role in a cover-up of the deadly 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, but former president Carlos Menem was acquitted.
Juan José Galeano, a former federal judge who led the probe into the attack that killed more than 80 people, was sentenced to six years in jail by a three-judge panel in Buenos Aires that had studied the case for four years. Former intelligence chief Hugo Anzorreguy was sentenced to 4 1/2 years for his role in the cover-up.
Galeano was convicted of concealment and violation of evidence.
Menem, 88, was absolved of charges he tried to interfere with the investigation into Argentina’s worst-ever terrorist attack, which left 85 dead and hundreds injured. A dozen others also were acquitted of that charge, including a former leader of Argentine Jewry, Ruben Beraja.
The ruling came in a trial ordered in August 2015 based on allegations that Menem and other government officials tried to divert attention in the bombing investigation away from a Syrian businessman who was a Menem family friend.
The court also sentenced Carlos Telleldín, a used car dealer who sold the van that contained the bomb used to attack the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) center, to 3 1/2 years in jail.
No one has ever been convicted of the bombing, though Argentina – and Israel – have long pointed the finger at Tehran, implicating several former Iranian officials, and Hezbollah.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
