Argentina prosecutor Alberto Nisman said yesterday Vahidi is accused of “being a key participant in the planning and of having made the decision to go ahead with the attack against the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association.’’
Nisman has led the investigation into the July 18, 1994, bombing - Argentina’s bloodiest terrorist attack. The bomb exploded inside a van outside the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association, killing 85 people and wounding 200.
“It has been demonstrated that Vahidi participated in and approved of the decision to attack AMIA during a meeting in Iran on Aug. 14, 1993,’’ when he led the Quds Force, Nisman said.
He added that Vahidi was never in Argentina.
Argentine officials contend that Iran orchestrated the attack and that the Iranian-backed Hezbollah carried it out. The United States and Israel also say Iran is behind the bombing, but Iran has denied it.
Ahmadinejad submitted his 18 Cabinet nominees late Wednesday to Parliament, which must approve the list. Most of the nominees were close Ahmadinejad loyalists or little-known figures, while public critics of the president from his previous Cabinet were purged. At least four nominees - for defense, interior, intelligence, and oil minister - had ties with the elite Revolutionary Guard, a powerful base of support for the president.
“It’s significant, this nomination, but not surprising,’’ said Nisman about Vahidi’s nomination. “Iran has always protected terrorists, giving them government posts, but I think never one as high as this one.’’
The president of the Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, Guillermo Borger, told Argentina’s Jewish News Agency yesterday that “we are completely surprised and outraged by the nomination of Ahmad Vahid. . . . His nomination is shameless and insulting.’’
Interpol said in 2007 it would help Argentina seek the arrest of Vahid and four other prominent Iranians wanted in connection with the attack.
Among the others is Mohsen Rezaei, who ran against Ahmadinejad in the June 12 presidential election and is a former leader of the Revolutionary Guard.
US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said yesterday that if Vahidi was indeed the man wanted by Interpol, it would be very “disturbing’’ to see him confirmed in the Iranian Cabinet.
