Fifteen years ago today, in the morning hours of 18 July 1994, a powerful explosion rocked the peaceful city of Buenos Aires. A terrorist attack had been launched against the city's Jewish community center, AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina).

Tragically, 85 people lost their lives in the attack and hundreds more were injured, all victims of international terrorism. The seven-story AMIA building, the central location for Argentina's Jewish communal activities, was totally reduced to rubble and the community's archives were destroyed in the bombing.

The pain and sorrow caused by this antisemitic attack is compounded by fact that those responsible for this horrifying act have not been brought to justice. But while they have yet to be individually named, responsibility for the attack is not anonymous at all. After years of enquiries, the Argentinian investigative magistrate has concluded that it is Iran who is responsible for the attack and for dispatching the murderers. The government of Argentina even appealed to Interpol to issue arrest warrants for several suspects, and this appeal was approved by the Interpol General Assembly.

This terrorist attack, which targeted innocent Argentinian citizens, constitutes further evidence of the antisemitic nature of the fanatical Iranian regime. As Iran aggressively seeks to expand its influence in Latin America,

we denounce Iran before the entire world for standing behind many international terrorist attacks, for financing, training and arming terrorist organizations, for striving to obtain nuclear weapons and for threatening to wipe Israel off the map.

At this difficult hour, the people and government of Israel identify with the bereaved families, with the Jewish community in Argentina and with all the people of Argentina. Concurrently, we would like to congratulate the Jewish community which has managed to recover from the tragic event, to restore the community and maintain firm ties with the State of Israel. Furthermore, we endorse the Argentinian government's efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Source:Ottawa.mfa.gov.il