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An Argentine federal judge, Ariel Lijo, has made public a crucial intelligence report that confirms the Iranian regime’s involvement in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, an attack that resulted in 85 deaths and hundreds of injuries. The report, known as the “Toma Report,” was compiled by the former head of Argentina’s Secretariat of Intelligence (SIDE), Miguel Ángel Toma, and has been instrumental in ongoing judicial proceedings.
The report, declassified shortly before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights condemned Argentina for its handling of the AMIA case, highlights the Iranian regime’s orchestration of the bombing through its proxy, Hezbollah. This detailed investigation, which includes data from the CIA, outlines the role of Iranian officials and their connections in Paraguay, Chile, and Brazil. It specifically mentions Mohsen Rabbani, the then cultural attaché of Iran’s regime in Argentina, as a key figure in planning the attack.
The Toma Report provides a comprehensive view of Iran’s covert operations, including the use of mosques and other institutions as fronts for intelligence activities. It reveals that the Iranian regime’s intelligence network meticulously planned and executed the bombing, coordinating closely with Hezbollah operatives who had been in and out of Argentina since 1988.
The executive summary reads in part:
“The highest authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Hezbollah gave the order for the attack against the AMIA to be perpetrated. There is evidence of the involvement of the Hezbollah leadership in the critical and final phases of the attack.
“The Iranian intelligence delegation in Buenos Aires, based at the Iranian embassy, was aware of the final preparations and the materialization of the attack days before July 18.”
THREAD
For more than four decades, the clerical regime in #Iran has consistently blackmailed other nations and considered #extremism as "leverage". 1/9https://t.co/ieaaOkZb6y pic.twitter.com/W9u5BJHXqs— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) September 6, 2022
According to the Spanish news website Infobae, Toma emphasized that the declassified report was foundational for Alberto Nisman, the late Argentine prosecutor who led the investigation into the AMIA bombing. Nisman used the report to secure Interpol red notices against high-ranking Iranian officials. The report exposed the operational matrix responsible for the AMIA bombing and the earlier attack on the Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires, attributing both to the same Iranian-Hezbollah network.
The declassified document implicates several top Iranian officials, including Mohsen Rezaee and Rabbani, who continue to play significant roles within the Iranian regime. In 2003, the Toma Report was submitted to then-judge Juan José Galeano, who aimed to hold Iranian operatives accountable. Recently, the Argentine judiciary has reiterated its commitment to transparency by ordering an inspection of archival materials related to the case.
The release of the Toma Report has been a critical step in the prolonged quest for justice by the victims’ families. They have long demanded access to classified intelligence that details the planning and execution of the attack. Despite some progress, they argue that accessing the full breadth of documentation remains challenging due to the complexity of the legal and bureaucratic processes involved.
Former President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, played a controversial role in concealing the Iranian regime’s involvement in the AMIA bombing. She was accused of orchestrating a cover-up in accordance with Tehran, allegedly aiming to shield Iranian officials from accountability in exchange for favorable trade deals. This secretive collaboration led to a memorandum of understanding between Argentina and Iran, which was widely criticized as a move to undermine justice. Furthermore, there are strong suspicions surrounding her administration’s involvement in the mysterious death of prosecutor Nisman, who was investigating the AMIA case and had accused Kirchner of obstructing his probe. Nisman was found dead in his apartment in 2015 under suspicious circumstances just days after he publicly denounced her, adding a dark chapter to the quest for justice for the AMIA bombing victims.
#Nisman is a martyr for peace and humanity and not just a martyr of the Argentinean people#Iran pic.twitter.com/hstAbPWHAk
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) January 29, 2015
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) has consistently condemned the Iranian regime’s terrorist activities and supported the declassification of documents revealing Tehran’s culpability. In 2015, following the suspicious death of Nisman, who had gathered irrefutable evidence of the Iranian regime’s involvement, the NCRI called for an independent international investigation to ensure justice and transparency.
The AMIA bombing is a stark reminder of Iran’s far-reaching terrorist activities. The investigation revealed that high-ranking Iranian officials, including those currently in positions of power, were involved in orchestrating the attack. It is also a crucial indication that appeasement with the clerical regime not only perpetuates the oppression of the Iranian people but also corrupts the morals of democratic countries, undermining their principles and the pursuit of justice.