Argentina’s Top Criminal Court Rules That Iran Ordered and Hezbollah Implemented the Bombings of the Israeli Embassy and the AMIA Headquarters in 1992 & 1994, Respectively

April 11, 2024

In a separate decision, the top court adopted the IHRA Definition of Anti-Semitism 

Buenos Aires, April 11th, 2024

Argentina’s Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation, the nation’s highest court regarding criminal matters, issued two rulings of great importance.

First, it declared that the AMIA bombing attack nearly 3 decades ago in July 1994, which left 85 dead and more than 300 injured, was a crime against humanity. The Court placed the blame for the attack on the Iranian regime and determined that Hezbollah carried out the terrorist bombing.

The Court also found that the March 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires was also ordered by Iran and carried out Hezbollah.

At the same time, the Court indicated that for any future trial to take place in Argentina, the country would need to institute trials in absentia.  

The decision left open the possibility for Argentina to approach the Court of International Criminal Justice to pursue the case against the perpetrators of these crimes against humanity.   

The Court also convicted Juan Jose Galeano, the judge who was in charge of the first AMIA bombing investigation, for covering up the crimes and sentenced him to four years in prison.

On the same day, the plenary session of the Federal Chamber of Criminal Cassation also adopted the Definition of Antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), following a petition from the Simon Wiesenthal Center. 

Dr. Ariel Gelblung, SWC Latin America Director who authored the IHRA petition that was presented to the Criminal Court last month, hailed the decision “as a critical legal step to hold those implicated in anti-Semitic hate crimes culpable for their actions.” 

For further information, please contact Dr. Ariel Gelblung at agelblung@wiesenthal.com or call +54 9 11 49695365; or email Michele Alkin, Director of Global Communications at malkin@wiesenthal.com or Erik Simon at esimon@wiesenthal.com.  Join the Center on Facebook, or follow @simonwiesenthal for news updates sent directly to your Twitter feed. 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish human rights organization. It holds consultative status at the United Nations, UNESCO, the OSCE, the Council of Europe, the OAS, and the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO).