Argentina’s Kirchner probed over bombing ‘cover-up’

The investigation will go ahead despite the death, in mysterious circumstances, of the prosecutor who had spent a decade investigating the 1994 Buenos Aires bombing.

Federal Prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita asked the courts if he could continue the investigation into President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and Foreign Minister Hector Timerman.

“An investigation will be initiated with an eye toward substantiating … the accusations and whether those responsible can be held criminally responsible,” said a document published by state prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita, who will take on the case.

The original investigation was carried out by special prosecutor Alberto Nisman.

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Nisman was found dead from a gunshot wound to the head the night before he was due present his case to Argentina’s parliament alleging that President Kirchner had engineered a cover-up of Iranian involvement in the bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires in 1994.

Nisman had filed a 289-page complaint that concluded Iran’s government had been behind the 1994 Buenos Aires bombing, and Kirchner had attempted to shift suspicions from Iran.

It has been alleged the Iranian involvement was covered up in favour of a oil-for-food deal with Iran.

The Buenos Aires Herald and Clarin both reported that a “green light” had been given to the complaint.

Kirchner has called the claims “absurd”.