U.S. Charges Alleged Hezbollah Member Over 1994 Buenos Aires Bombing

The United States has formally charged Samuel Salman El Reda, an alleged member of Hezbollah, for his role in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The tragic incident, which resulted in the deaths of 85 people, has remained a significant point of contention and investigation over the years.

El Reda, a 58-year-old dual Lebanese-Colombian citizen, is accused of providing material support to a terrorist group and coordinating activities for Hezbollah’s Islamic Jihad Organization across South America, Asia, and Lebanon since at least 1993. Despite being based in Lebanon and remaining at large, El Reda has been a focal point of U.S. efforts to seek justice for the victims of the bombing.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen of the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Security Division emphasized the commitment of the Justice Department to pursuing those involved in acts of terror, stating that the department’s “memory is long,” and it will persist in its efforts to bring perpetrators to justice.

The bombing, which the U.S. attributes to the far reach of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, sent shockwaves through Buenos Aires’ Jewish community and has been a source of ongoing controversy in Argentina. Former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has faced accusations of attempting to shield the perpetrators through a joint investigation with Iran, which is known to have supported Hezbollah.

Additionally, Argentina has accused Hezbollah of conducting a 1992 attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people, and consequently branded the group as a terrorist organization, freezing its assets in 2019. The case against El Reda represents not only an effort to bring closure to one of Argentina’s most devastating attacks but also a broader international endeavor against terrorism​.