July 7, 2000

Action: JCPA member agencies Communities are urged to contact their senators and representatives and ask them to co-sponsor and pass a resolution condemning the 1994 AMIA bombing and urging the Argentine Government to bring to justice those responsible. (House Resolution 531 and Senate Resolution 329, see attached) We seek action on these resolutions in conjunction with the anniversary of this terrible event. Copies of the resolutions and sponsors are attached.

Background:

July 18, 2000 will mark the sixth anniversary of the AMIA Jewish Community Center bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As you will recall, 86 people were killed in the bombing, and as yet no one has stood trial for the crime. Last year Argentina elected a new president, Fernando de la Rua, who has repeatedly promised that bringing the perpetrators of the bombing to justice is a top priority for his administration. Numerous members of de la Rua’s government have echoed that sentiment in meetings with Jewish leaders in Argentina and abroad. In a move that for the first time acknowledges the local connection to the crime, Buenos Aires policemen implicated in the bombing will stand trial later this year. However, the trial has been postponed many times, and, some Argentines feel, could lead to a whitewashing of the incident. Although many Argentine Jews and other observers are optimistic that de la Rua’s rhetoric will be followed with positive action, the reality is that six years after this terrible crime the perpetrators remain free. For more information on this topic visit American Jewish Committee (www.ajc.org) or B’nai B’rith (www.bnaibrith.org) on line.

To see justice done in this case, the Jewish community and other interested parties need to remind the Government of Argentina that this is an issue that will not go away. Resolutions have been introduced in Congress condemning the 1994 AMIA bombing and urging President de la Rua to pursue and punish those responsible. The resolutions have gone through the relevant committees and will come to the floor during the week of the AMIA bombing anniversary.

Please contact Reva Price in Washington or Nava Edelman in New York for more information.

106th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. RES. 531

Condemning the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, urging the Argentine Government to punish those responsible, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 23, 2000

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. ROTHMAN, and Mr. MENENDEZ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

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RESOLUTION

Condemning the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, urging the Argentine Government to punish those responsible, and for other purposes.

Whereas on July 18, 1994, 86 innocent human beings were killed and 300 were wounded when the AMIA Jewish Community Center was bombed in Buenos Aires, Argentina;

Whereas the United States welcomes Argentine President Fernando de la Rua's political will to pursue the investigation of the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center to its ultimate conclusion;

Whereas circumstantial evidence attributes the attack to the terrorist group Hezbollah, based in Lebanon and sponsored by Iran;

Whereas evidence indicates that this bombing could not have been carried out without local assistance from elements of the Argentine security forces some of which are reported to be sympathetic to anti-Semitic positions and to have participated in the desecration of Jewish cemeteries in recent years;

Whereas additional evidence indicates that the tri-border area where Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil meet and which is known to be rife with terrorist activity as well as drug and arms smuggling was used to channel resources for the purpose of carrying out the bombing attack;

Whereas the 6 years since the bombing have been marked by efforts to minimize the involvement of these Argentine security elements;

Whereas Argentine officials have acknowledged that there was negligence in the initial phases of the investigation and that the institutional and political conditions must be created to advance the investigation of this terrorist attack;

Whereas failure to duly punish the culprits of this act serves merely to reward these terrorists and help spread the scourge of terrorism throughout the Western Hemisphere;

Whereas the democratic leaders of the Western Hemisphere issued mandates at the 1994 and 1998 Summits of the Americas that they condemn terrorism in all its forms and that they will, using all legal means, combat terrorist acts anywhere in the Americas with unity and vigor;

Whereas the Government of Argentina supports the 1996 Declaration of Lima To Prevent, Combat and Eliminate Terrorism, which refers to terrorism as a serious form of organized and systematic violence that is intended to generate chaos and fear among the population, results in death and destruction, and is a reprehensible criminal activity, as well as the 1998 Commitment of Mar del Plata which calls terrorist acts serious common crimes that erode peaceful and civilized coexistence, affect the rule of law and the exercise of democracy, and endanger the stability of democratically elected constitutional governments and the socio-economic development of our countries; and

Whereas it is the long-standing policy of the United States to stand firm against terrorist attacks wherever and whenever they occur and to work with its allies to ensure that justice is done; Now, therefore, be it

COSPONSORS(18), ALPHABETICAL]:

• Rep Ackerman, Gary L. 6/26/2000
• Rep Ballenger, Cass 6/28/2000
• Rep Burton, Dan 6/23/2000
• Rep Chabot, Steve 6/28/2000
• Rep Crowley, Joseph 6/28/2000
• Rep Davis, Jim 6/28/2000
• Rep Diaz-Balart, Lincoln 6/28/2000
• Rep Faleomavaega, Eni F. H. 6/26/2000
• Rep Hastings, Alcee L. 6/28/2000
• Rep Lantos, Tom 6/23/2000
• Rep Menendez, Robert 6/23/2000
• Rep Payne, Donald M. 6/28/2000
• Rep Rohrabacher, Dana 6/26/2000
• Rep Rothman, Steve R. 6/23/2000
• Rep Smith, Christopher H. 6/23/2000
• Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. 6/28/2000
• Rep Weiner, Anthony D. 6/28/2000
• Rep Wexler, Robert 6/23/2000

106th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 329

Urging the Government of Argentina to pursue and punish those responsible for the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

June 28, 2000

Mr. L. CHAFEE (for himself and Mr. HELMS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations - Reported by Mr. HELMS, without amendment

RESOLUTION

Urging the Government of Argentina to pursue and punish those responsible for the 1994 attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Whereas on July 18, 1994, 86 innocent persons were killed and 300 were wounded when the AMIA Jewish Community Center was bombed in Buenos Aires, Argentina;

Whereas the United States welcomes Argentine President Fernando de la Rua's political will to pursue the investigation of the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center to its ultimate conclusion;

Whereas circumstantial evidence attributes the attack to the terrorist group Hezbollah, based in Lebanon and sponsored by Iran;

Whereas the investigation indicates that this bombing could not have been carried out without assistance from elements of local security forces;

Whereas additional evidence indicates that the tri-border area where Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil meet was used to channel resources for the purpose of carrying out the bombing attack;

Whereas Argentine officials have acknowledged that there was negligence in the initial phases of the investigation and that the institutional and political conditions must be created to advance the investigation of this terrorist attack;

Whereas on March 17, 1992, terrorists bombed the Embassy of Israel in Buenos Aires, killing 29 persons and injuring more than 200 others, and the Government of Argentina has not yet brought anyone to justice for that act of terrorism;

Whereas failure to duly punish the culprits of these acts serves to reward these terrorists and help spread terrorism throughout the Western Hemisphere;

Whereas the democratic leaders of the Western Hemisphere issued mandates at the 1994 and 1998 Summits of the Americas that condemned terrorism in all its forms and that committed governments to combat terrorist acts anywhere in the Americas with unity and vigor; and

Whereas it is the long-standing policy of the United States to stand firm against terrorist attacks wherever and whenever they occur and to work with its allies to ensure that justice is done: Now, therefore, be it

S.RES.329 Sponsor: Sen Chafee, Lincoln D.(introduced6/28/2000)
COSPONSORS(2), ALPHABETICAL

Sen. Helms, Jesse - 6/28/2000

Sen Santorum, Rick - 6/30/2000

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