Without former president Carlos Menem and his then Intelligence Chief Hugo Anzorreguy, the trial investigating the cover-up of the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center finally opened with statements from prosecutors in the case.
The hearing began just after 10.30 a.m with prosecutors reading the list of accusations against the defendants, related to the alleged 400,000 dollars bribe paid to former accused Carlos Telledín to give false testimony over the events surrounding the bombing.
A recess was called at 1 p.m, and proceedings restarted an hour later as the plaintiff’s prosecutors made statements.
The lawyer of Carlos Menem had presented a medical report claiming he was suffering from high blood pressure, depression, osteoarthritis and diabetes, by way of his explaining his absence today, but despite the court rejecting the petition the ex-president was nowhere to be seen on the first day of the trial.
Members of the Federal Oral Court No.2 (TOF 2) — in charge of judging the cover-up – said the report was “illegible,” with judges ordering a follow up on Menem’s health condition. They later ordered the trial to be resumed.
Anzorreguy is in hospital as a result of an infection contracted after undergoing surgery. The ex-spy chief followed proceedings via a video link set up from the Otamendi hospital.
Twenty-one years after the worst-ever terrorist attack suffered by the country, the trial into the attempted cover-up of the AMIA attack began this morning.
Former judge Juan José Galeano along with former prosecutors Eamon Mullen and José Barbaccia — in charge of probing the attack — are fellow defendants in the case as is former Federal Police (PFA) inspector Jorge “Fino” Palacios.
Telleldín — who was acquitted in the 2001-2004 trial — will also have to explain his role in the attack this time.
Former DAIA head Rubén Beraja was accused of being involved in a manoeuvre that sought to blame a group of Buenos Aires provincial police officers for the deadliest attack suffered in Argentina.
The Executive will act as a plaintiff in the trial, represented by lawyer Luciano Hazan.
Following a request from Memoria Activa, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) sent commissioner Paulo Vannuchi as an observer for today’s hearing.
Activists were in negotiations to extend the time Vannuchi — who served as Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva’s Human Rights minister — will be staying in the country to oversee the trial.
Source: Buenos Aires Herald