[Pages H5787-H5789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CONDEMNING ATTACK ON THE AMIA JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER IN BUENOS AIRES
IN JULY 1994

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 441) a resolution condemning the attack on the AMIA
Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 1994 and
expressing the concern of the United States regarding the continuing,
25-year-long delay in the resolution of this case and encouraging
accountability for the attack.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows

H. Res. 441

Whereas, 25 years ago, on July 18, 1994, 85 innocent people
were killed and 300 were wounded when the Argentine Jewish
Mutual Association (AMIA) was bombed in Buenos Aires,
Argentina;
Whereas, 2 years earlier, Hezbollah operatives also blew up
the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 civilians;
Whereas it is reported that considerable evidence links the
attack to the terrorist group Hezbollah, which is based in
Lebanon, supported by the Government of the Syrian Arab
Republic, and sponsored by the Government of the Islamic
Republic of Iran;
Whereas the 25 years since the bombing have been marked by
a failure to bring those responsible, including Iranian
officials and their Hezbollah proxies, to justice;
Whereas, in September 2004, Alberto Nisman was appointed as
the Special Prosecutor in charge of the 1994 AMIA bombing
investigation;
Whereas, on October 25, 2006, Argentine prosecutors Alberto
Nisman and Marcelo Martinez Burgos formally accused the
Government of Iran of directing the bombing, and the
Hezbollah militia of carrying it out;
Whereas Ibrahim Hussein Berro, a member of the terrorist
group Hezbollah, was identified as the AMIA bomber;
Whereas, in November 2006, an Argentine judge issued arrest
warrants for Iranian nationals Ali Fallahijan (former Iranian
intelligence minister), Mohsen Rabbani (former Iranian
cultural attache), Ahmad Reza Asghari (former Iranian
diplomat), Ahmad Vahidi (former Iranian defense minister),
Ali Akbar Velayati (former Iranian foreign minister), Mohsen
Rezaee (former chief commander of the Iranian Islamic
Revolutionary Guards Corps), Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
(former President of Iran), Hadi Soleimanpour (former Iranian
Ambassador to Argentina), and Lebanese national Imad Fayez
Moughnieh who were named as suspects in the AMIA bombing;
Whereas, in November 2007, INTERPOL voted to put the
following suspects in the 1994 AMIA attack on its most wanted
list--Ali Fallahijan, Mohsen Rabbani, Ahmad Reza Asghari,
Ahmad Vahidi, and Mohsen Razaee from Iran and Imad Fayez
Moughnieh from Lebanon;
Whereas Interpol currently has 4 red alerts in place in
relation to the AMIA attack;
Whereas, on January 13, 2015, prosecutor Alberto Nisman
alleged in a complaint that then-Argentinian President
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and then-Minister of Foreign
Relations Hector Timerman conspired to cover up Iranian
involvement in the 1994 terrorist bombing, and reportedly
agreed to negotiate immunity for Iranian suspects and help
get their names removed from the INTERPOL list;
Whereas prosecutor Alberto Nisman was scheduled to present
his new findings to the Argentinian Congress on January 19,
2015;
Whereas prosecutor Alberto Nisman was found shot in the
head in his apartment in Buenos Aires on January 18, 2015;
Whereas the investigation of the AMIA bombing has been
marked by judicial misconduct;
Whereas, in March 2019, an Argentine court handed down
convictions and sentences, finding that the judge,
prosecutors, and head of the Argentina's secret services--the
individuals responsible for investigating the AMIA bombing,
Argentina's deadliest terrorist attack--had interfered with
the inquiry, diverting the investigation away from the truth;
Whereas former Federal judge Juan Jose Galeano was handed
down a 6-year conviction by the court, which will not be
enforced until the sentence is confirmed by a higher
tribunal;
Whereas former State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE)
intelligence head Hugo Anzorreguy was handed a prison
sentence of 54 months;
Whereas Carlos Telleldin, a used car dealer who sold the
van that contained the bomb used to attack AMIA and received
a bribe to incriminate police officers falsely, was sentenced
to 42 months in jail; and
Whereas no Iranian suspects for the AMIA bombing have yet
faced prosecution: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) reiterates its strongest condemnation of the 1994
attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, and honors the victims of this heinous act;
(2) expresses its sympathy to the relatives of the victims,
who have waited a quarter of a century without justice for
the loss of their loved ones, and may have to wait even
longer for justice to be served;
(3) underscores the concern of the United States regarding
the continuing, 25-year-long delay in the proper resolution
of this case; and
(4) expresses strong support for accountability for this
attack, including against those Iranian and Hezbollah
operatives who were responsible.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson)
each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 441, a resolution
condemning the attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos
Aires, Argentina, in July 1994, 25 years ago this month.
I have been to that community center. It is a vibrant community
center.

[[Page H5788]]

It was a horrific bombing that happened 25 years ago.
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank Mr. Deutch for
authoring this resolution and for his years of leadership advocating
for justice for the victims of the AMIA bombing.
In July of 1994, the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires was
bombed. Eighty-five innocent people were killed and at least 300 people
were wounded. Almost 25 years later, this heartbreaking tragedy and
vicious act of anti-Semitism still is an open wound. Justice has not
been served.
This hits close to my heart. I have visited AMIA twice to meet with
the community there and pay my respects to the victims and the
Argentine Jewish community.
For 25 years, the Argentine people have been waiting for the
perpetrators of this horrific act of violence and hate to be brought to
justice.
So, I am glad we are considering this resolution today to keep this
issue on the front burner and to continue to show solidarity with the
victims.
The measure before us condemns the AMIA attack and expresses the
United States' condolences to the families of the 85 victims.
This resolution also makes it clear that those responsible for the
murder of innocent civilians must be held accountable. Years of
investigation have found that the perpetrators of this attack were
Hezbollah operatives with strong links to Iranian Government officials.
Despite the international outcry and a stack of Interpol red notices
demanding that these individuals be brought to justice, Iran refuses to
hold the perpetrators accountable. Par for the course for the
Government of Iran.
It is the duty of all of us here in Congress to stand with the
Argentine people as they demand that those responsible face
consequences for their crimes.
I hope our friends in the Argentine Government and justice system
will do everything they can to finally provide closure for the victims'
families.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much
time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 441, Condemning the
attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires in July
1994, authored by Mr. Deutch of Florida.
In July 1994, a terrorist tied to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah
carried out a murderous bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community Center in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, killing 85 innocent people and injuring
hundreds more.
Unfortunately, 25 years later, the cowardly perpetrators of this
attack have evaded justice due to a series of coverups and a botched
investigation. This reminds us that terrorism is a continuing threat in
our hemisphere and that we must always be vigilant.
This important resolution condemns the attack, expresses concern over
the continued delay in the resolution of the case, and it encourages
accountability for those responsible.
The resolution also recognizes a series of critical events, including
the mysterious death of the lead prosecutor, Alberto Nisman, who
formally accused the Government of Iran and Hezbollah for their role
and implicated the Fernandez Kirchner government in negotiating
immunity for the Iranian suspects.
This resolution demonstrates our commitment to supporting the
Government of Argentina, one of our great regional partners, in finding
justice for the victims and their families, and combating the continued
threat of terrorism in our hemisphere.
I was grateful to work with my colleague, Mr. Deutch, the chairman of
the Middle East, North Africa, and International Terrorism
Subcommittee, on this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

General Leave

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have
5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and
include extraneous material on H. Res. 441.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from New York?
There was no objection.
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from
Florida (Mr. Deutch), chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East,
North Africa, and International Terrorism.
Mr. DEUTCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Engel for yielding me time.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of the victims of the
1994 terror attack on the AMIA Jewish Community Center in Buenos Aires.
On July 18, 1994, terrorists detonated a car bomb in the AMIA
building, a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, an important part,
a central part of that community. It killed 85 innocent people and
injured hundreds more.
This attack, which took place just 2 years after the bombing of the
Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, shook the Argentine Jewish community,
the largest in Latin America.
In the 25 years since the attack, the investigations into the AMIA
bombing have been marked by long delays and by judicial misconduct,
failing thus far to bring justice for the victims, their families, and
their community.
Considerable evidence has linked this heinous attack to the terrorist
group Hezbollah and its sponsor, the Government of the Islamic Republic
of Iran.

Now, despite warrants issued by the Argentinian justice system for
Iranian and Lebanese nationals thought to be involved in the attacks,
and their addition on Interpol's most wanted lists, Iranian and
Hezbollah operatives have yet to face accountability for their actions.
We encourage all responsible nations to not allow the perpetrators of
this attack to continue to escape justice.
After the previous President of Argentina worked to prevent Iran from
being held accountable, Prosecutor Alberto Nisman heroically proceeded
investigating this bombing, shedding light on the alarming and growing
partnership between leaders in Iran and Argentina. Just 1 day before he
was scheduled to present his latest findings, Alberto Nisman was found
dead in his home with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
We are grateful that President Macri's government has continued to
push for Iranian accountability.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge the Ambassador of Argentina,
who is in the gallery with us today.
Twenty-five years later, Iranian-backed Hezbollah continues to carry
out terror operations. Twenty-five years later, anti-Semitism continues
to threaten the lives of Jewish communities throughout Latin America,
around the world, and even here in the United States.
With this vote, Congress honors the victims of this horrific attack;
recalls the brave work by Alberto Nisman, who lost his life pursuing
justice; and calls for full accountability for those responsible. It
has been far too long.
Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend, the ranking member, Congressman Joe
Wilson, ranking member of the Middle East, North Africa, and
International Terrorism Subcommittee, and Congressmen Albio Sires and
Francis Rooney, the chair and ranking member of the Western Hemisphere,
Civilian Security, and Trade Subcommittee, for joining me in
introducing this resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to stand with us against this
despicable act of terror. As we recall the victims today, we stand
against terror and hatred and anti-Semitism, and we stand for justice.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to avoid references to
occupants of the gallery.

{time} 1515

Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume,
for the purpose of closing.
Mr. Speaker, it is an outrage that, after all these years, there
still hasn't been justice for the AMIA bombing victims and their
families.
This resolution today is a message to the Argentine Jewish community,
and to marginalized, victimized communities around the world, that the
United States will not forget them and will continue to push for
justice.
I am glad my colleague mentioned the prosecutor, Alberto Nisman,
because what happened to him, to be murdered a day before he was to
present his work, is absolutely a disgrace. Some in the government even

[[Page H5789]]

tried to say that it was a suicide, but we know it was not.
I hope that we get to the bottom of the truth and that Mr. Nisman is
honored, which he should be. It is just an absolute disgrace that he
was murdered.
Again, I thank Mr. Deutch for authorizing this important resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting it, and I
yield back the balance of my time
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res.
441 which conveys the indignation and concern many of my colleagues and
I have regarding the severe delay in the conclusion of and lack of
accountability for the July 1994 AMIA Jewish Community Center attacks.
On July 18, 1994, 85 innocent people lost their lives and 300 more
were wounded in an act of terror and hate perpetrated against the
Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA).
This attack came two years after the bombing of the Embassy of Israel
in Buenos Aires which claimed the lives of an additional 29 civilians.
In both instances, there was considerable evidence that linked the
attacks to the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, which is
supported by the Syrian Arab Republic and is sponsored by the Islamic
Republic of Iran.
In the quarter century since the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Community
Center in Buenos Aires, little has been done to bring those
responsible, including Iranian officials and their Hezbollah proxies,
to justice.
Those charged with bringing the attackers to justice have
unfortunately been made victims themselves or since been found to have
undermined and misled their investigations into the attacks.
Alberto Nisman, one of the original prosecutors that formally accused
the Government of Iran of directing the bombing, was also critical of
the Government of Argentina's response to the 1994 AMIA bombing.
Nisman alleged that there was a conspiracy among high-ranking
Argentinian government officials, including then-President Cristina
Fernandez de Kirchner, to cover up Iranian involvement.
Unfortunately, Nisman was shot in the head in his apartment the day
before he was scheduled to present new findings to the Argentinian
Congress.
Other individuals responsible for investigating the AMIA bombing,
Argentina's deadliest terrorist attack, have since been convicted by an
Argentine court for interfering with the official inquiry and diverting
the investigation away from the truth.
As a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary and on Homeland
Security, I urge my fellow colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res.
441 and in condemning what has been a systemic failure to carry out
justice for the victims of the July 18, 1994 terrorist attack on the
AMIA Jewish Community Center.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 441.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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