February 10, 2013

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — The president of the AMIA Buenos Aires Jewish center said the truth commission agreed to by Argentina and Iran “will allow a third bombing in Argentina.”

“This pact is viewed by some people as a step forward. This may be a step to the precipice,” Guillermo Borger said. “It will allow a very unfortunate third attack.”

The confrontation between Borger and Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez came to a head on Saturday as Fernandez took to the national television airwaves and Twitter to defend the deal.

“I read with concern the statements made by Guillermo Borger, president of AMIA, on deal with Iran. What do you know to make a statement so terrible?” Fernandez questioned on Twitter. “If there was an attack planned  related the agreement with Iran, who is the mastermind and the material author?”

Argentina’s Senate will be the first legislative chamber to discuss the memorandum of understanding signed Jan. 27 with Iran on the 1994 AMIA bombing, which killed 85 and wounded hundreds. Fernandez has summoned the Argentinian Congress to a special session Feb. 28 on the pact, which would create a truth commission allowing judges to question Iran’s suspects in Tehran.

Borger is strongly rejecting the agreement, relating it with new dangers to Argentina, after expressing satisfaction with the pact following a meeting with Foreign Minister Hector Timerman at the AMIA building on Jan. 29. Other Jewish leaders and victims’ families also were in the meeting with Timerman.

When the announcement of the memorandum was made, Borger said he was opposed because “we don’t trust Iran.”

Israel and the United States have objected to meetings between Argentina and Iran, and the bilateral agreement.

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