VZCZCXYZ0034
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0246/01 0581823
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271823Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0344
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 1713
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000246 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
WHA/BSC FOR DRUCKER, FRIEDMAN, AND SLATTERY 
NEA/IR FOR HWOOSTER 
S/CT FOR VIRGINIA PALMER AND ARNOLD SIERRA 
NSC FOR JUAN ZARATE AND JOSE CARDENAS 
FBI FOR CTD IRAN-HIZBALLAH UNIT AND OIO AMERICAS UNIT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PTER PREL PGOV KJUS AR FBI
SUBJECT: CODEL ENGEL VISITS AMIA AND DISCUSSES CONCERN OVER 
IRAN AND VENEZUELA WITH JEWISH LEADERS 
 
REF: (A) BUENOS AIRES 0225 (B) BUENOS AIRES 0226 (C) 
     BUENOS AIRES 0229 (D) BUENOS AIRES 0242 (E) 
     BUENOS AIRES 0244 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary.  On February 22, Ambassador Wayne and a 
visiting U.S. Congressional delegation headed by 
Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) met with the political 
leadership of the Argentine Jewish community (DAIA) and the 
President of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA). 
 During the meeting, DAIA representatives asked that the U.S. 
Congress (USC) use its political influence on their 
counterparts in other Parliaments worldwide to seek 
commitments of support for any possible extradition requests 
related to the 1994 terrorist bombing of the AMIA Jewish 
cultural center.  Engel assured the DAIA and AMIA leadership 
that the USC would do all it can to help bring the 
perpetrators of the crimes to justice. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Engel expressed the USC's concern over Iran's 
growing influence in the region, particularly the Bolivian 
President Evo Morales' announcement that Iran will establish 
a regional TV channel in Bolivia.  Representative Jerry 
Weller (R-IL) encouraged the DAIA leadership to raise the 
issue with the GOA, asserting that Argentina is well-placed 
to be a moderating influence in the region.  Engel also 
expressed concern over the Venezuelan government's continued 
harassment of its Jewish community, and asked whether a 
future CODEL visit to highlight the issue would help or hurt 
the community.  The DAIA's leadership called the situation 
"sensitive" and stated that it would be best for the USC to 
consult directly with the Venezuelan community.  End summary. 
 
------------ 
Participants 
------------ 
 
¶3. (SBU) On February 22, Ambassador Wayne and visiting U.S. 
Congressional delegation headed by Representative Eliot Engel 
(D-NY) met with the political leadership of the Argentine 
Jewish community, the Delegation of Argentine-Israeli 
Associations (DAIA).  Other participants included 
Representatives Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Gene Greene (D-TX), 
Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), and Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL).  DAIA 
participants included Vice President Angel Schindel, Third 
Vice President Julio Schlosser, Secretary General Michael 
Angel Zechin, and International Affairs Advisor Alfredo 
Neuberger.  Also in attendance was Argentine Ambassador to 
the United States Hector Timerman and AMIA President Luis 
Grynwald. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
DAIA Requests Support for AMIA Extraditions 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Schindel thanked the Congressional delegation for 
their visit, calling it a sign of the USG's ongoing 
commitment to bring to justice the perpetrators of the 1994 
attack on the AMIA cultural center.  There has been progress 
on the AMIA case, he said, adding that Interpol voted in 
November 2007 to issue international arrest warrants, or "Red 
Notices", for six suspects, including Hezbollah leader Imad 
Mughniyeh who died in a car bombing on February 12. 
Representative Engel stated that while he is not a violent 
man, Mughniyeh's death meant "there is one less terrorist in 
the world."  Schindel lamented that many have been quick to 
blame Israel for Mughniyeh's death, when rival terrorist 
groups may be the ones responsible.  Since the attack, the 
Argentine Jewish community has been on alert as there have 
been increased threats against Israel and the Jewish 
community worldwide, he stated. 
 
¶5. (SBU) Although there has been progress on the 
international aspects of the AMIA terrorist bombing, 
Argentina and the Jewish community are still waiting for 
justice to be served for local accomplices in the AMIA attack 
and the 1992 Israeli Embassy bombing, he continued.  Schindel 
recounted that the first investigation into "the local 
connection" ended in acquittal for the suspects, and noted 
 
that the Supreme Court investigation into the Embassy attack 
continues to this day.  He asked that the Representatives use 
their influence with their counterparts in other Parliaments 
worldwide to seek a commitment from those governments to 
support any possible extradition requests related to the AMIA 
bombing in the future. 
 
¶6. (SBU) Engel assured the DAIA and AMIA leadership that the 
U.S. Congress would do all it can to help bring the 
perpetrators of the crimes to justice.  The American people 
and the Argentine Jewish community are united in the cause 
against terrorism, hatred, and anti-Semitism, he said. 
Although the Jewish Diaspora has faced a long history of 
hatred and persecution, modern terrorism aims not only to 
destroy a people, but an entire society.  He stressed that it 
is therefore critical that people of good will stand up to 
fight the threat of terrorism. 
 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
Concern over Growing Iranian Influence in Region 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶7. (SBU) Engel explained that the reason for the CODEL's 
visit to the region was to speak out against the Iranian 
government's attempts to spread propaganda in Argentina, 
Bolivia, and Ecuador.  Weller added that they raised with 
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) their concern 
over Bolivian President Evo Morales' February 18 announcement 
that Iran will open a regional television station in Bolivia. 
 He expressed concern that the channel will be used as a 
vehicle to broadcast anti-Israel, anti-U.S., and anti-Semitic 
propaganda.  Weller encouraged the DAIA to raise this issue 
with the GOA, as Argentina is well-placed to be a moderating 
influence in the region and can point out to its neighbors 
that allowing such an operation is a mistake. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Schindel agreed that this is an issue of mutual 
concern, and added that Argentina's public television channel 
airs Arab programs that rail against the Jewish community 
over the issue of Palestine.  He indicated that the DAIA has 
requested meetings with GOA officials to discuss the issue. 
He also asserted that the GOI is using petrodollars to exert 
influence in poor Argentine communities to promote extreme 
fundamentalism which threatens the peaceful coexistence 
Argentine Jewish and Muslim communities have had for decades. 
 
¶9. (SBU) Neuberger also underscored the importance of 
speaking out against hate speech, and expressed dismay that 
not enough countries from "the democratic world" condemned 
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's latest verbal attack 
on Israel, likening the country to "a dirty microbe." 
Neuberger emphasized that "we need help to sway public 
opinion that this is not a Jewish or American issue, but 
humanity's issue" and asked that the U.S. Congress actively 
raise this concern with their Parliamentary colleagues around 
the world.  Engel agreed, noting that the U.S. Congress has 
raised this issue in its Inter-parliamentarian dialogue with 
the EU.  He stated that the Europeans have the unfortunate 
tendency to "wear blindfolds", even though there could be a 
negative impact on Europe should Iran carry out its threats 
to "wipe Israel off the map" given geographical proximity. 
He added that the international community must work to deal 
with the possibility of a nuclear Iran because "Israel and 
the United States can't do it alone." 
 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
Concern over Embattled Venezuelan Jewish Community 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶10. (SBU) Grynwald then noted DAIA's growing concern over the 
emerging Tehran-Damascus-Caracas axis.  Engel stated that 
Washington is deeply concerned about the many reports 
regarding Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's continued 
harassment of the Venezuelan Jewish community.  He 
characterized the BRV's December 1, 2007 raid on its main 
Jewish community center in the search for illicit weapons as 
"ridiculous".  He asked whether these threats are serious, 
and what the U.S. Congress's response should be.  He 
 
 
explained that he had received conflicting advice, with one 
side arguing that he should visit Caracas to call attention 
to the plight of Venezuela's Jews in order to halt further 
BRV harrassment, and another side arguing that he should not 
go as it would only make the situation worse for the 
community.  Schindel stated that this was a very sensitive 
issue and advised that the U.S. Congress consult with the 
Venezuelan Jewish community itself.  He noted that the BRV's 
raid came a few months after CFK had traveled to Venezuela to 
celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Venezuelan Jewish 
community where she delivered a speech harshly criticizing 
terrorism.  Not a single BRV official attended, he observed. 
 
¶11. (U) Cable cleared by Codel Engel.  NOT/NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
KELLY