The presence of the Iranian regime's security secretary, Mohsan Razai, today (Tuesday) at Daniel Ortega's swearing-in ceremony caused an international uproar after it became known he had an extradition order from the international police due to his alleged involvement in the 1994 deadly attack on Argentina's Jewish community building.
As you may recall, in Buenos Aires, Razai (68) was given a key role in the AMIA attack, in which 85 innocent people lost their lives and hundreds more were injured after a suicide bomber smashed a car to death at the entrance to the building.
The storm took another step when among the Jewish community of Argentina drew the attention of the government of Alberto Fernandez to the fact that he had sent a representative on her behalf to represent the country for the inauguration of Ortega (76), who began his fourth term as president.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega (in red) during the swearing-in ceremony, Photo: AFP
The Argentine opposition also criticized the arrival of the Iranian representative and following the embarrassment, the Argentine Foreign Ministry protested against the presence of the representative on behalf of the Islamic Republic, who is wanted for trial by the local justice system.
"Argentina reiterates, as it did last August before the appointment of Razai as Vice President of Economic Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose presence in Managua is an insult to Argentine justice and to the victims of the brutal terrorist attack on the Amia on July 18, 1994."
In 2006 Special Prosecutor Alberto Nissman, who was investigating the 1994 terrorist attack, accused nine senior Iranians of responsibility for speaking out and subsequently issued an arrest warrant against some of them, including Muhsan Razai.
However, the extradition requests were never carried out and in January 2015 Attorney Nissman accused then-president Christina Fernandez de Kirchner (current vice president) of rendering his investigation and collaborating with a terrorist state.
As you may recall, five days later, Nissman was found lifeless and shot in the head.
The Israeli embassy in Argentina expressed regret over Razai's participation in the swearing-in ceremony and issued a statement stressing that "we condemn Iran's support for international terrorism and call on national and international authorities to enforce the measures taken against the defendants."
Were we wrong?
Fixed!
If you found an error in the article, we'll be happy for you to share it with us
