WASHINGTON (JTA) — A bipartisan group of U.S. congressmen urged Secretary of State John Kerry to act against Argentina if it moves ahead with plans to conduct a joint investigation of a deadly anti-Jewish attack with Iran.
Referring to the “truth commission” set up by Argentina and Iran to investigate the 1994 AMIA Jewish center attack in Buenos Aires, the letter sent to Kerry on Tuesday calls on him to “monitor and oppose the establishment of this commission, take action against Argentina should it proceed with the commission and inform us of further developments.”
Eight Iranian officials have been indicted for their connection to the AMIA attack, which killed 85 and injured hundreds.
Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.), one of six lawmakers to sign the letter, called the truth commission “nothing but a sham.”
Meng, a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, said “Iran is essentially seeking to investigate itself for the cowardly attack it perpetrated, and its only goal is to wipe away its involvement in it. Shame on the Argentine government for going along with this, and for allowing itself to be used by this terrorist state.”
Other signers were Reps. Trey Radel (R-Fla.), Randy Weber (R-Tex.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.Dak.), Eni Faleomavaega (D-American Samoa) and Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.).
