Thursday, 28th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Nisman family say Argentina prosecutor was murdered

INDEPENDENT tests show that Argentine special prosecutor Alberto Nisman was murdered, his family says. At a news conference, Mr Nisman's ex-wife said the findings ruled out theories of accident or suicide. Mr Nisman was found dead in his home on 18 January, hours before he was due to testify in Congress against President Cristina Fernandez…

INDEPENDENT tests show that Argentine special prosecutor Alberto Nisman was murdered, his family says.

At a news conference, Mr Nisman’s ex-wife said the findings ruled out theories of accident or suicide.

Mr Nisman was found dead in his home on 18 January, hours before he was due to testify in Congress against President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

He was probing Argentina’s deadliest terrorist attack, the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish centre.

Sandra Arroyo Salgado, Mr Nisman’s ex-wife, said a team of experts had made their conclusions based on reports from a post-mortem examination and existing forensic evidence.

Ms Arroyo Salgado, a federal judge, added that her report was at “the disposal of the prosecutor and judge” involved with the official investigation into Mr Nisman’s death.

Despite telling journalists the report’s conclusions, Ms Arroyo Salgado has not released the full details of the document.After presenting the report, Ms Arroyo Salgado expressed her disappointment that family members at the scene were not allowed to participate in Mr Nisman’s autopsy, despite having the right to do so.

However, she said Mr Nisman’s family had decided against conducting a second autopsy.

Following the press conference Viviana Fein, who is leading the investigation into Mr Nisman’s death, told Argentina’s Radio Nacional that she would consider Ms Arroyo Salgado’s report.

Ms Fein told the station: “Up until now … there has been nothing which allows me to say categorically whether this was a suicide or homicide. Nothing.”

One of the experts who helped compile the report was Daniel Salcedo, a former Buenos Aires police chief.

He was assisted by a forensic expert and forensic pathologist.Ms Arroyo Salgado’s announcement comes a day after an Argentine prosecutor appealed against a judge’s decision last week to throw out Mr Nisman’s case against President Fernandez.

In a 350-page report, Mr Nisman had suggested Ms Fernandez covered up the alleged involvement of senior Iranian officials in the 1994 bombing of the Jewish centre.Ms Fernandez has always rejected the allegations, claiming Mr Nisman was fed misleading information by a rogue intelligence agent trying to discredit her government.

Eighty-five people died in the car bomb attack, which completely destroyed the seven-storey Argentine Israelite Mutual Association (Amia) cultural centre in the capital Buenos Aires.

0 Comments