Argentina’s Federal Court of Criminal Cassation has held Iran responsible for the 1992 attack against the Israeli embassy and the 1994 attack against the Jewish organization AMIA, both of which took place in Buenos Aires. The court ruled that the attacks were ordered by the Tehran government and carried out by Hezbollah.
Judge Carlos Mahiques, who presided over the room that made the decision, stated that “a State that organizes, plans, programs, finances, arms and executes a terrorist action in another sovereign State has a responsibility that at some point and in some international court it must assume.”
Hezbollah had already been held responsible for the attack on the Israeli embassy, which resulted in 22 deaths and over 200 injuries. The attack on the AMIA, which left 85 dead and 300 injured, is considered the worst in Argentina’s history.
The court also declared that both attacks constitute crimes against humanity, allowing Argentina to sue Iran before international courts. This makes the crime imprescriptible and enables “universal jurisdiction.”
The Delegation of Argentine Israeli Associations (DAIA) celebrated the court’s decision, with President Jorge Knoblovits stating that it “establishes that Iran has the conduct of a terrorist State.” The DAIA plans to support the relatives of the victims in initiating a lawsuit before the International Criminal Court.
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is currently reviewing whether Argentina administered justice after the attacks, following a claim by the family group Memoria Activa. This ruling could have significant implications for bringing justice to the victims and holding accountable those responsible for the tragic events.