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Thursday, 9 September, 2004, 11:01 GMT 12:01 UK

Argentines rally for bomb justice

By Elliott Gotkine
BBC correspondent in Buenos Aires

Demonstration in Buenos Aires, Argentina Thousands of Argentines have protested against the recent acquittal of five suspects accused of involvement in the bombing of a Jewish centre in 1994.

The rally in the capital, Buenos Aires, was called by campaigners from Argentina's large Jewish community.

Last week's verdict was expected after a string of well-publicised irregularities during the inquiry.

But the Jewish community is still angry that justice remains elusive a decade after the blast which killed 85 people.

More than 200 people were injured when a car bomb ripped through the Jewish Argentine Mutual Association (AMIA).

It was the worst single anti-Semitic attack since World War Two - yet no-one has been found guilty.

Demanding justice

For Argentina's Jewish community - the largest in Latin America, with some 200,000 members - last Thursday's verdict simply compounded their sense of injustice.

Angered by the verdict, though not especially surprised, victims' families convened a rally in central Buenos Aires.

Thousands of Argentines turned out: old and young, Jewish and non-Jewish.

The aftermath of the 1994 bombing of the Jewish centre in Buenos Aires

Many carried umbrellas to show that nothing had changed since the first demonstration against the AMIA bombing, which took place three days after the event amid torrential rain.

An emotional Luis Czyzewski, whose daughter was killed in the blast, told the crowd the state did everything to hide the truth in its botched investigation.

But he said that if everyone demanded the truth and demanded justice, then the perpetrators of the unsolved bombing might one day be held accountable.

Argentina's President, Nestor Kirchner, said he felt deep grief that this was not already the case and has pledged to help speed up the investigation.



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Related to this story:
Argentina bomb suspects acquitted (02 Sep 04  |  Americas )
Argentina removes bomb case judge (03 Dec 03  |  Americas )
Iran blamed for Argentina bomb (06 Nov 03  |  Middle East )
Flashback: Argentina bomb (25 Aug 03  |  Americas )

RELATED INTERNET LINKS:
Argentine justice ministry
Argentine Jewish Associations
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