Argentina marks AMIA bombing

Argentine Jews marked the 13th anniversary of the bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires.U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Earl Anthony Wayne met with relatives of victims of the bombing, which killed 85 people. The perpetrators of the attack on July 18, 1994 have never been brought to justice. Evidence points to the involvement of Hezbollah operatives in the attack, with the help of Iranian planning and sponsorship. Iran and Hezbollah have denied involvement. An Argentine court recently issued new arrest warrants in the bombing, including one for Iran’s former president. AMIA President Luis Grynwald, said he would like the bombing to become a national and international issue, not just a Jewish one. AMIA and Argentina’s central Jewish political organization, the DAIA, have arranged for radio and television stations and police cars to sound a siren at 9:53 a.m.on July 18, the moment the attack took place. In addition, several arts organizations are marking the anniversary. The non-Jewish art group Escombros is displaying an exhibition of plastic bags filled with tears for all the victims, each with its own name. A photograph of the facade of the old AMIA building, which was destroyed in the attack, covers the facade of the new building.