U.S. Jewish Leaders Alert State Dept. on Anti-semitism in Argentina

A widespread campaign of armed violence, attacks against democratic groups, and anti-Semitic vandalism is being carried out by a number of terrorist organizations in Argentina, with “apparent immunity” from police action, it was reported here today by Jacob Blaustein, honorary president of the American Jewish Committee, which is starting its three-day national executive board meeting here tomorrow.

“The organizations, which are neo-Fascist and strongly anti-United States, appear to have support of some Argentine army officers and a number of priests in the Roman Catholic Church, although both the Army and the Church are officially opposed to these groups,” the AJC leader said in his report.

Mr. Blaustein revealed that American Jewish Committee leaders recently met with top officials of the U.S. State Department, to discuss the growing anti-democratic and anti-Semitic forces in Argentina. It is understood that the Vatican has censured the priests involved in the Argentine Fascist fringe groups, he added.

The report said neo-Fascist terrorist organizations openly commit acts of vandalism and violence without “serious police intercession.” Members of these groups, the Committee charged, “seemed to enjoy a strange immunity from police arrest and, even when arrested, prosecution is not carried out to the full extent of the law. This may be due to the fact that neo-Fascist groups appear to have significant connections with individuals in Government, police, military and church circles.”

Mr. Blaustein stressed, however, that Argentine officialdom and church leaders are “clearly opposed to these fringe groups, “and cited the fact that the Argentine Senate in 1961 officially denounced Tacuara, one of the more important neo-Fascist groups. This organization is a para-military group, with cells and command posts in Buenos Aires and other major cities in Argentina.