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JCPA calls for successful conclusion to terrorist investigations

In Letter to Argentine President, Agency Urges Government to Make Investigations a "High Priority"

New York City -- February 4, 2000 -- The Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) today urged the Argentine government to move forward on the investigations into the bombings in Buenos Aires of the Israeli Embassy in 1992 and the AMIA building in 1994. In a letter to President Fernando de la Rua from JCPA Chair Steven Schwarz and Executive Vice Chairman Lawrence Rubin, the JCPA called for a successful conclusion to the investigations, which have dragged on for years. Expressing deep concern over the lack of progress, the letter urged President de la Rua to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice.

Following is the full text of the letter:

On behalf of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA), we congratulate you on your recent election, and send good wishes as you address the challenges facing your administration. The JCPA, the public affairs arm of the organized American Jewish community, serves as the national coordinating and advisory body for 13 national and 122 local Jewish agencies that are listed on the reverse side of this letter.

We are deeply concerned about the as yet unresolved investigations into the terrorist attacks in Buenos Aires on the Israeli embassy in 1992 and the AMIA building in 1994. As you know, these bombings, which killed scores of people and wounded many more, deeply scarred the entire Jewish community of Argentina, and indeed Jews around the world.

We are concerned about the welfare of our fellow Jews in Argentina, and how these terrorist acts have affected them. The longer it takes to bring the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice, the longer the healing process is delayed. We urge you and your government to make the successful conclusion of the investigations a high priority in the period ahead.

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The Jewish Council for Public Affairs is the public affairs arm of the organized Jewish community and serves as the national coordinating and advisory body for the 13 national and 122 local agencies comprising the field of Jewish community relations.