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AMIA Bombing

ONGOING1994AMIA building, Pasteur 633, Buenos Aires, Argentina3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On 18 July 1994, a suicide bomber drove a Renault Trafic van loaded with approximately 275 kilograms of ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosive into the building housing the Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina (AMIA), a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. The blast destroyed the five-story brick masonry building, killing 85 people and injuring more than 300. It remains the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentine history. At the time, Argentina's Jewish community numbered around 200,000, the largest in Latin America.

The bombing came two years after a 17 March 1992 attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, which killed 29 people. Investigators suspected a connection between the two attacks, though no one has been convicted for either.

The investigation was marked by prolonged allegations of mishandling and cover-up. Federal judge Juan José Galeano pursued a "local connection" theory, arresting Carlos Telleldín and around 20 Buenos Aires provincial police officers; however, a video later showed Galeano offering Telleldín money for evidence, leading to his removal from the case in 2003 and formal impeachment in August 2005 for "serious irregularities." On 2 September 2004, all suspects in the local-connection case, including four policemen, were acquitted for lack of evidence.

In 2006, prosecutors Alberto Nisman and Marcelo Martínez Burgos formally accused the Iranian government of directing the attack and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah of carrying it out, alleging the motive stemmed from Argentina's suspension of a nuclear technology transfer contract with Iran — a claim later disputed. Arrest warrants and Interpol red notices were later issued for several Iranian officials and a Hezbollah operative, though none have been apprehended, and Iran and Hezbollah have denied involvement.

Subsequent Argentine governments faced accusations related to the case. In 2013, Argentina and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a "truth commission," which drew significant criticism from Jewish community organizations and was later declared unconstitutional by Argentine courts. Nisman, who opposed the memorandum, filed a complaint in January 2015 accusing President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and others of attempting to cover up Iranian involvement. He was found dead in his home on 18 January 2015, hours before he was due to present his allegations to Congress; the case surrounding his death remains open. In 2018, judicial authorities announced Fernández de Kirchner would face trial on cover-up charges, which she has denied; a 2021 court ruling found no wrongdoing on her part, though a 2023 appellate ruling ordered her to be tried again.

In April 2024, the Argentine Court of Cassation ruled that Iran directed the attack and Hezbollah carried it out, characterizing Iran as a terrorist state and enabling victims' families to pursue compensation claims against Iran internationally. As of 2025, Argentina has announced plans to try ten Iranian and Lebanese nationals in absentia.

Key facts

Victims
On file
Date
1994
Location
AMIA building, Pasteur 633, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Case status
ongoing

Case timeline

  1. 1992-03-17

    The Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires is bombed, killing 29 people; the attack is later suspected to be connected to the AMIA bombing.

  2. 1994-07-18

    A suicide bomber drives a van loaded with explosives into the AMIA building in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people and injuring over 300.

  3. 1994-07-19

    A suicide bombing on a Panamanian commuter plane kills all 21 passengers, including 12 Jews.

  4. 1999

    An arrest warrant is issued against Hezbollah member Imad Mugniyah in connection with the attack.

  5. 2003-08-21

    Former Iranian ambassador to Argentina Hade Soleimanpour is arrested in the UK at Argentina's request; he is later released for lack of evidence.

  6. 2004-09-02

    All suspects in the 'local connection' case, including four policemen, are found not guilty for lack of evidence.

  7. 2005-08-03

    Federal judge Juan José Galeano is formally impeached and removed from his post over 'serious irregularities' in his handling of the investigation.

  8. 2005

    Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio becomes the first public figure to sign a justice petition for AMIA victims as part of the bombing's 11th anniversary.

  9. 2006-10-25

    Prosecutors Alberto Nisman and Marcelo Martínez Burgos formally accuse Iran of directing the bombing and Hezbollah of carrying it out.

  10. 2007-11

    Interpol publishes names of six individuals officially accused in the attack on its red notice list.

  11. 2013-01-27

    Argentina and Iran sign a memorandum of understanding to establish a truth commission on the bombing.

  12. 2014-05

    The memorandum of understanding is declared unconstitutional by an Argentine court.

  13. 2015-01

    Alberto Nisman files a complaint accusing President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and others of covering up Iranian involvement in the bombing.

  14. 2015-01-18

    Alberto Nisman is found dead in his home hours before he was due to present his allegations to Congress.

  15. 2015-12

    The memorandum of understanding with Iran is declared voided by the Argentine Federal Chamber of Cassation.

  16. 2018

    Judicial authorities announce Cristina Fernández de Kirchner will face trial on charges of covering up Iranian involvement in the bombing.

  17. 2019-07-18

    Argentina officially declares Hezbollah a terrorist organization, freezing its assets and expelling members.

  18. 2021

    A federal tribunal declares the cover-up case against Cristina Fernández de Kirchner null and void, finding no wrongdoing.

  19. 2023

    The Federal Chamber of Cassation revokes the earlier dismissal and orders Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to be tried for alleged cover-up.

  20. 2024-04-11

    The Argentine Court of Cassation rules that Iran directed the attack and Hezbollah carried it out, characterizing Iran as a terrorist state.

  21. 2025-06-26

    It is reported that Argentina will try ten suspects of Iranian and Lebanese nationality in absentia.

Best coverage

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People

  • Ahmad Vahidi

    CHARGED

    Iranian official accused and indicted in connection with the bombing; placed on Interpol's wanted list; remains a fugitive.

  • Imad Mughniyah

    CHARGED

    Hezbollah member; arrest warrant issued in 1999 in connection with the attack and later placed on Interpol's red notice list.

  • Ali Fallahian

    CHARGED

    Former Iranian intelligence minister named among suspects to be tried in absentia.

  • Mohsen Rezaee

    CHARGED

    Former IRGC commander accused in connection with the bombing; later appointed vice president of economic affairs in Iran's government.

  • Hussein Mounir Mouzannar

    CHARGED

    Hezbollah member named among suspects to be tried in absentia.

  • Ali Akbar Velayati

    CHARGED

    Former Iranian foreign minister named among suspects to be tried in absentia.

  • Abdallah Salman

    CHARGED

    Hezbollah member named among suspects to be tried in absentia.

  • Hashemi Rafsanjani

    CHARGED

    Former Iranian president named in the 2006 indictment and subject of an arrest request by Argentine prosecutors.

  • Alberto Nisman

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Argentine prosecutor who formally accused Iran and Hezbollah in 2006 and later accused President Fernández de Kirchner of a cover-up; found dead in January 2015 before presenting his findings to Congress.

  • Hade Soleimanpour

    CHARGED

    Iran's ambassador to Argentina in 1994; arrested in the UK in 2003 on an Argentine warrant, later released for lack of evidence to proceed with extradition.

  • Carlos Telleldín

    ACQUITTED

    Alleged to have provided the van used in the bombing; acquitted in the 'local connection' case on 2 September 2004 for lack of evidence.

  • Salman Raouf Salman

    CHARGED

    Hezbollah member named among suspects to be tried in absentia.

  • Ahmad Reza Asghari

    CHARGED

    Former Iranian diplomat named among suspects to be tried in absentia.

  • Mohsen Rabbani

    CHARGED

    Former Iranian cultural attaché in Argentina, identified by prosecutor Alberto Nisman as mastermind of the bombing.

  • Juan José Galeano

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Federal judge who led the initial investigation; removed from the case in 2003 and impeached in August 2005 for 'serious irregularities' in handling the probe; has denied the allegations.

  • Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

    CHARGED

    Former Argentine president charged over alleged cover-up of Iranian involvement in the bombing; case was declared null and void in 2021, but a 2023 appellate ruling ordered her to be tried; she has denied the charges.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

AMIA building, Pasteur 633, Buenos Aires, Argentina

-34.6018, -58.3994

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On 18 July 1994, a suicide bomber drove a van packed with explosives into the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, killing 85 people and injuring over 300 in the deadliest terrorist attack in Argentine history.
Where did the bombing happen?
AMIA building, Pasteur 633, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
What is the current status of the case?
Status: ongoing.
More cases in Argentina

Sources

  1. AMIA bombingwikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. Contemporaneous coverage — BBC Newsnews · BBC News · 2026-07-07
  3. Contemporaneous coverage — The Guardiannews · The Guardian · 2026-07-07