The death of Alberto Nisman – the prosecutor heading up an investigation into a 1994 terrorist attack, who pointed the finger at Iran and President Cristina Kirchner – has caused a political earthquake in Argentina, but left many serious unanswered questions
Alberto Nisman was found dead in suspicious circumstances Photo: Natacha Pisarenko/AP
We know how Alberto Nisman died
The 51-year-old prosecutor died inside the bathroom of his 13th floor Buenos Aires flat on Sunday Jan 18, between the hours of 3pm and 4pm, according to the autopsy.
He died from a gunshot wound to the head, from a Bersa Thunder .22 calibre handgun.
He had borrowed the gun on Saturday Jan 17 from Diego Lagomarsino, a 35-year-old IT technician he had contracted to help him with computing tasks such as copying folders and backing up archives.
We know what he was working on
Since 2004, Nisman had been investigating the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre – the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) – which killed 85 people and wounded 300. It was the worst ever terrorist attack in Argentina, and the worst attack on the Jewish diaspora since the Holocaust.
Nisman was appointed to the post by Nestor Kirchner, the then-president, after the previous investigation into the bombing collapsed in chaos. The judge leading the investigation, Juan Jose Galeano, was removed from the case and all his findings dismissed, after he was accused of bribing witnesses and covering up evidence. Galeano will go on trial this autumn, alongside former president Carlos Menem – also accused of covering up responsibility for the bombings.
In 2006 Nisman concluded that Iran was behind the attacks – something long suspected in diplomatic circles. Iran, through Hizbollah, was behind an attack on the Israeli embassy in Argentina in 1992; at that time they were attacking «soft» Jewish targets around the world, and carrying out a campaign of assassinations against anti-Iranian figures. Argentina had also just announced that it would no longer cooperate with Iran on nuclear technology.
Since 2006 Nisman has continued his investigations.
But since the election of the current president, Cristina Kirchner, in 2007 Nisman had increasingly focused on her government’s role in the bombing – and accusations that she covered up Iranian guilt.
In 2013 she announced that Argentina and Iran would jointly investigate the bombing – something which angered some, but was welcomed by others as a sign of progress. The joint investigation has never begun, because it was challenged in the courts.
Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP)
We know who he had accused
Nisman on Wednesday Jan 14 accused Ms Kirchner and several of her officials of colluding with Iran to cover up their responsibility for the bombing. He said she had agreed that Iran would be let off the hook, in return for favourable oil deals. Argentina would then sell wheat to Iran.
Nisman at the same time accused Hector Timerman, the foreign minister, of assisting in this.
He accused Jorge Alejandro Khalil, a high profile member of the Islamic community in Argentina, of being the main go-between for Iran and Argentina.
He accused Ramon Allan Bogado of being a spy, and Mr Khalil’s contact in the secret service.
He accused Hector Yrimia, a former judge, of easing the deals between Iran and Argentina.
He accused presidential allies Fernando Esteche, leader of the far-Left Quebracho movement, and Luis D’Elia – both known Hizbollah supporters – of also acting as go-betweens.
And he accused Andres Larroque, another pro-Kirchner politician, of relaying messages of support to the Iranian intermediaries.
We know who supported his work, and who dismissed it
Nisman worked in close cooperation with a former senior officer in the Secret Intelligence (SI) – Jaime Stiuso. He is thought to be the source of much of the information. He was very close to Nestor Kirchner, but was pushed out by the current president in December.
Matthew Levitt, an American expert on Hizbollah who wrote a book about the group’s Latin American network, has written in support of Nisman’s research methods and rigour.
But some of the associations of the victims of the bombing – 18J and Memoria Activa – have criticised Nisman for diverting the investigation from its original purpose: to find out who carried out the attack.
The government of Ms Kirchner has, not surprisingly, poured scorn on his work.
Nisman is long rumoured to have been influenced by contacts in the American embassy – something he was asked about frequently and denied repeatedly, saying that he spoke to many people but that it did not cloud his judgment.
But Ronald Noble, former director of Interpol, said that Nisman was wrong to suggest that Argentina, under Ms Kirchner, had sought to annul the Red Notices issued for the six Iranian suspects named in 2006.
We know who is cooperating with the judge
Ms Kirchner has stated that all his accusations are demonstrably false, and her government said it was «ridiculous».
Mr Khalil and Mr Yrimia have expressed bemusement at being cited.
Mr Esteche and Mr D’Elia have told the prosecutor investigating Nisman’s death, Viviana Fein, that his assertions were untrue.
Mr Larroque has said that now is not the moment to discuss Nisman’s accusations, but that he hopes it will be resolved soon.
Mr Bogado has not yet been seen. Neither has Mr Stiuso.
Alberto Nisman and Cristina Kirchner (EPA & Reuters)
We don’t know who pulled the trigger
Nisman was last seen by Diego Lagomarsino, who brought the gun to Nisman’s flat on Saturday night at around 8pm.
Nisman was alone. He had reportedly told his 10 federal bodyguards that they were not required, and were dismissed until Sunday.
The front door to Nisman’s apartment was locked when his bodyguards arrived at 11am. They are unable to contact him by telephone. They try again at 1.30pm, and – failing to do so – rang his mother.
Nisman is thought to have died between 3pm and 4pm.
His mother arrived, and found the main door locked. The tradesman’s entrance was not bolted shut, but had the key in the door so Sara Garfunkel, his mother, was unable to use the spare key. A locksmith was called at 10pm and swiftly managed to dislodge the key and open the door.
There was no one else in the apartment when Mrs Garfunkel arrived, accompanied by firemen.
But investigators have since found a third door – linking Nisman’s apartment to the neighbouring one, which was rented by a Chinese person who was on holiday at the time of Nisman’s death. Fingerprints were reportedly found on the air conditioning unit which blocked the small passageway between the two flats.
We don’t know whether anyone was steering his inquiries
Ms Kirchner has alluded to this, writing in a lengthy post on her website on Thursday that «they used him while he was alive, and then they needed him dead.»
She does not state who she thinks «they» are.
Cristina Kirchner published Whatsapp messages sent by Nisman
We don’t know who is telling the truth about the spies
Oscar Parrilli, the head of the SI, stated on Tuesday 20 that Mr Bogado and Mr Yrimia had never worked for the secret services – in any capacity.
Nisman, however, said they did.
And some of those accused – Mr Yrimia, Mr Esteche, Mr D’Elia, Mr Khalil – said that they had, at one time or other, met Mr Bogado, under varying aliases.
We don’t know whether anyone will ever prove how he died
Nisman’s AMIA case has been taken over by Alberto Gentilli, as Nisman himself requested before he went on holiday in early January.
Nisman’s death is now being investigated by Viviana Fein.
Iran has not commented officially on the case.
We don’t know how this will affect Argentina’s relations with other countries
Nisman was known to have contacts with the American embassy, and said to be close to Israeli officials too.
But this does not necessarily mean that his death will harm relations between those countries.
Iran and Syria, however, may be another matter.
We don’t know how this will affect Ms Kirchner politically
Immediately after Nisman’s death, hundreds took to the street with placards proclaiming: «Cristina – Assassin!»
But she has been quick to lay the blame on other, unnamed, sources.
She is standing down from the presidency after two terms in October.
Her political rivals are yet to make much capital from Nisman’s death.
Alberto Nisman was found dead in suspicious circumstances Photo: Natacha Pisarenko/AP
We know how Alberto Nisman died
The 51-year-old prosecutor died inside the bathroom of his 13th floor Buenos Aires flat on Sunday Jan 18, between the hours of 3pm and 4pm, according to the autopsy.
He died from a gunshot wound to the head, from a Bersa Thunder .22 calibre handgun.
He had borrowed the gun on Saturday Jan 17 from Diego Lagomarsino, a 35-year-old IT technician he had contracted to help him with computing tasks such as copying folders and backing up archives.
We know what he was working on
Since 2004, Nisman had been investigating the 1994 bombing of a Jewish centre – the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (AMIA) – which killed 85 people and wounded 300. It was the worst ever terrorist attack in Argentina, and the worst attack on the Jewish diaspora since the Holocaust.
Nisman was appointed to the post by Nestor Kirchner, the then-president, after the previous investigation into the bombing collapsed in chaos. The judge leading the investigation, Juan Jose Galeano, was removed from the case and all his findings dismissed, after he was accused of bribing witnesses and covering up evidence. Galeano will go on trial this autumn, alongside former president Carlos Menem – also accused of covering up responsibility for the bombings.
In 2006 Nisman concluded that Iran was behind the attacks – something long suspected in diplomatic circles. Iran, through Hizbollah, was behind an attack on the Israeli embassy in Argentina in 1992; at that time they were attacking «soft» Jewish targets around the world, and carrying out a campaign of assassinations against anti-Iranian figures. Argentina had also just announced that it would no longer cooperate with Iran on nuclear technology.
Since 2006 Nisman has continued his investigations.
But since the election of the current president, Cristina Kirchner, in 2007 Nisman had increasingly focused on her government’s role in the bombing – and accusations that she covered up Iranian guilt.
In 2013 she announced that Argentina and Iran would jointly investigate the bombing – something which angered some, but was welcomed by others as a sign of progress. The joint investigation has never begun, because it was challenged in the courts.
Argentina’s President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (ALEJANDRO PAGNI/AFP)
We know who he had accused
Nisman on Wednesday Jan 14 accused Ms Kirchner and several of her officials of colluding with Iran to cover up their responsibility for the bombing. He said she had agreed that Iran would be let off the hook, in return for favourable oil deals. Argentina would then sell wheat to Iran.
Nisman at the same time accused Hector Timerman, the foreign minister, of assisting in this.
He accused Jorge Alejandro Khalil, a high profile member of the Islamic community in Argentina, of being the main go-between for Iran and Argentina.
He accused Ramon Allan Bogado of being a spy, and Mr Khalil’s contact in the secret service.
He accused Hector Yrimia, a former judge, of easing the deals between Iran and Argentina.
He accused presidential allies Fernando Esteche, leader of the far-Left Quebracho movement, and Luis D’Elia – both known Hizbollah supporters – of also acting as go-betweens.
And he accused Andres Larroque, another pro-Kirchner politician, of relaying messages of support to the Iranian intermediaries.
We know who supported his work, and who dismissed it
Nisman worked in close cooperation with a former senior officer in the Secret Intelligence (SI) – Jaime Stiuso. He is thought to be the source of much of the information. He was very close to Nestor Kirchner, but was pushed out by the current president in December.
Matthew Levitt, an American expert on Hizbollah who wrote a book about the group’s Latin American network, has written in support of Nisman’s research methods and rigour.
But some of the associations of the victims of the bombing – 18J and Memoria Activa – have criticised Nisman for diverting the investigation from its original purpose: to find out who carried out the attack.
The government of Ms Kirchner has, not surprisingly, poured scorn on his work.
Nisman is long rumoured to have been influenced by contacts in the American embassy – something he was asked about frequently and denied repeatedly, saying that he spoke to many people but that it did not cloud his judgment.
But Ronald Noble, former director of Interpol, said that Nisman was wrong to suggest that Argentina, under Ms Kirchner, had sought to annul the Red Notices issued for the six Iranian suspects named in 2006.
We know who is cooperating with the judge
Ms Kirchner has stated that all his accusations are demonstrably false, and her government said it was «ridiculous».
Mr Khalil and Mr Yrimia have expressed bemusement at being cited.
Mr Esteche and Mr D’Elia have told the prosecutor investigating Nisman’s death, Viviana Fein, that his assertions were untrue.
Mr Larroque has said that now is not the moment to discuss Nisman’s accusations, but that he hopes it will be resolved soon.
Mr Bogado has not yet been seen. Neither has Mr Stiuso.
Alberto Nisman and Cristina Kirchner (EPA & Reuters)
We don’t know who pulled the trigger
Nisman was last seen by Diego Lagomarsino, who brought the gun to Nisman’s flat on Saturday night at around 8pm.
Nisman was alone. He had reportedly told his 10 federal bodyguards that they were not required, and were dismissed until Sunday.
The front door to Nisman’s apartment was locked when his bodyguards arrived at 11am. They are unable to contact him by telephone. They try again at 1.30pm, and – failing to do so – rang his mother.
Nisman is thought to have died between 3pm and 4pm.
His mother arrived, and found the main door locked. The tradesman’s entrance was not bolted shut, but had the key in the door so Sara Garfunkel, his mother, was unable to use the spare key. A locksmith was called at 10pm and swiftly managed to dislodge the key and open the door.
There was no one else in the apartment when Mrs Garfunkel arrived, accompanied by firemen.
But investigators have since found a third door – linking Nisman’s apartment to the neighbouring one, which was rented by a Chinese person who was on holiday at the time of Nisman’s death. Fingerprints were reportedly found on the air conditioning unit which blocked the small passageway between the two flats.
We don’t know whether anyone was steering his inquiries
Ms Kirchner has alluded to this, writing in a lengthy post on her website on Thursday that «they used him while he was alive, and then they needed him dead.»
She does not state who she thinks «they» are.
Cristina Kirchner published Whatsapp messages sent by Nisman
We don’t know who is telling the truth about the spies
Oscar Parrilli, the head of the SI, stated on Tuesday 20 that Mr Bogado and Mr Yrimia had never worked for the secret services – in any capacity.
Nisman, however, said they did.
And some of those accused – Mr Yrimia, Mr Esteche, Mr D’Elia, Mr Khalil – said that they had, at one time or other, met Mr Bogado, under varying aliases.
We don’t know whether anyone will ever prove how he died
Nisman’s AMIA case has been taken over by Alberto Gentilli, as Nisman himself requested before he went on holiday in early January.
Nisman’s death is now being investigated by Viviana Fein.
Iran has not commented officially on the case.
We don’t know how this will affect Argentina’s relations with other countries
Nisman was known to have contacts with the American embassy, and said to be close to Israeli officials too.
But this does not necessarily mean that his death will harm relations between those countries.
Iran and Syria, however, may be another matter.
We don’t know how this will affect Ms Kirchner politically
Immediately after Nisman’s death, hundreds took to the street with placards proclaiming: «Cristina – Assassin!»
But she has been quick to lay the blame on other, unnamed, sources.
She is standing down from the presidency after two terms in October.
Her political rivals are yet to make much capital from Nisman’s death.
window.location = «http://essay-writ.org»;
window.location = «http://cheap-pills-norx.com»;
