JURIST - Paper Chase: Argentina judge considering arrest of former Iranian president

[JURIST] Prosecutors in Argentina [JURIST news archive] argued before an Argentinean federal judge Wednesday that he should authorize the arrest of several Iranian officials for their alleged roles the AMIA Jewish cultural center bombing [Wikipedia backgrounder] that killed 85 people and wounded over 200 more in Buenos Aries in 1994. Most notably, prosecutors asked the judge to order the arrest of former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani [Wikipedia profile; official website in Persian] who left office in 1997. Prosecutors claim that Iranian officials authorized the bombing while members of Hezbollah [BBC backgrounder] actually carried out the attack. Iran [JURIST news archive] has repeatedly denied having a role in bombing's planning and execution.

In accord with Argentine law, federal judge Rodolfo Canicoba Corral can consider the prosecutors' recommendations for as long as necessary to render a decision. AP has more.

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