Menem 'took Iran bribe to cover up attack on Jewish centre'

The deadly bomb attack on a Jewish Community Centre in Argentina in 1994 was organised and carried out by operatives from Iran, who then paid former president Carlos Menem $10m to cover it up, it was alleged yesterday.

A former Iranian intelligence operative, who gave his name as Abdolghassem Mesbahi, said the money ensured investigations into the bombing were directed away from Iran and potential witnesses were bribed or intimidated.

The allegations are contained in a 100-page testimony from the former intelligence officer who has since defected to Germany. He has had several meetings with Argentinian investigators looking into the bombing.

The testimony could be introduced to a trial in which 20 people are accused of indirect involvement in the attack. Mr Menem is not facing any charges in relation to the attack.

A total of 85 people were killed and scores were injured when a car bomb destroyed the Argentine Jewish Mutual Aid Association in Buenos Aires. The bombing followed a similar attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires in 1992, in which 28 people were killed.

The testimony – a copy of which was given to The New York Times – claims Mr Menem enjoyed a close relationship with Iran during his time in office, between 1989 and 1999.

It says Iran courted Mr Menem as a valuable international contact because of his power, his Muslim ancestry and his connections to Argentina's influential Syrian-Lebanese community.

Mr Menem – who spent six months under house arrest last year on charges that he was involved in illegal arms dealing while in office – is a leading candidate for President in the country's forthcoming elections. The ballot to pick candidates is in December.

Mr Menem has declined to comment on the allegations but his former chief of staff, Alberto Kohan, told the newspaper: "Every intelligence agency in the world had free passage in Argentina to investigate this case. We were completely open. We did everything that the courts asked for. There are people in custody, there is a trial and there is an inquiry under way. We would all like to know who did it. President Menem was totally clear about that at the time." Although officials considered a possible Iranian connection, Tehran has denied any involvement.

Mr Mesbahi's testimony claims, however, that while Iran was initially pursued, once the $10m deal was done with Mr Menem, investigators were directed elsewhere. He said the money was paid to the Argentinian leader from a Swiss bank account and Mr Menem agreed to "make declarations that there was not evidence against Iran that it was responsible".

Jewish leaders and pressure groups criticised the Argentinian authorities for failing to investigate the allegations thoroughly. Sergio Widder, of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, said: "The inaction of the Argentine state, the absolute absence of investigation, showed terrorists that they could act in Argentina without the slightest fear of consequences."