Interpol to hunt down Iranian officials – statement

Iran Focus: London, Mar. 15 – The following is the full text of a statement issued by Interpol on Thursday over its decision to hunt down and arrest six Iranian officials and agents believed to be involved in the 1994 deadly bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires: Iran Focus

London, Mar. 15 – The following is the full text of a statement issued by Interpol on Thursday over its decision to hunt down and arrest six Iranian officials and agents believed to be involved in the 1994 deadly bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires:

Interpol media release
15 March 2007

Interpol Executive Committee takes decision on AMIA Red Notice dispute

LYON, France – Interpol’s Executive Committee today issued its decision regarding the Red Notice dispute between the National Central Bureaus (NCBs) of Argentina and Iran in connection with the 1994 bombing of the AMIA building in Buenos Aires.

After considering written submissions and oral presentations from both countries’ NCBs, the Executive Committee decided to endorse and adopt the conclusions of the report prepared by Interpol’s Office of Legal Affairs that Red Notices should be issued for the following six individuals: Imad Fayez Mughniyah, Ali Fallahijan, Mohsen Rabbani, Ahmad Reza Asghari, Ahmad Vahidi and Mohsen Rezai.

The Executive Committee also endorsed the Office of Legal Affairs conclusion that Red Notices should not be issued for former President of Iran, Ali Rafsanjany, former Minister of Foreign Affaris of Iran, Ali Akbar Velayati and former Ambassador of Iran in Buenos Aires, Hadi Soleimanpour.

Accordingly, the Red Notices will be issued on 31 March, 2007 unless the NCB of either country appeals the decision in writing to the General Secretariat before this date.

Under Article 24 of Interpol’s Rules on the Processing of Information for the Purposes of Police Co-operation, if either NCB appeals, the Red Notices will not be issued and the matter may be put before the General Assembly, the organization’s supreme governing body, at its next meeting which will be held from 5-8 November, 2007 in Marrakech, Morocco.

“The Executive Committee carefully considered all the information put before it, and in light of Interpol’s rules believes that the conclusions of the Office of Legal Affairs that these six Red Notices should be issued is correct,” said Interpol President Jackie Selebi.

“Both parties have been treated fairly and impartially by Interpol and the organization’s rules have been meticulously applied throughout this dispute resolution process to ensure that the claims of both National Central Bureaus were properly considered by the Executive Committee.”

The issuance or non-issuance of a red notice for any individual is not to be construed as an indication of the strength or weakness of the case against that individual, which is a matter for the appropriate judicial authorities to decide.

In November 2006, Argentina’s NCB requested that Interpol issue Red Notices for nine individuals (including eight Iranian nationals) regarding the 1994 AMIA bombing that killed 85 people and injured more than 150 others. Iran’s NCB challenged the request, arguing that the issuance of Red Notices would violate Interpol’s constitution and rules. This challenge created a dispute between the NCBs of two member countries concerning the proper use of the notices system, which triggered application of Interpol’s dispute resolution process under which the Executive Committee based its conclusions.