NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONVICT SOLEYMANPOOR
LONDON 14 Nov. (IPS) Britain turned down Argentine demand for extraditing Mr. Hadi Soleymanpoor, the former Iranian ambassador to Argentine, confirming there had been insufficient evidence to proceed with the case.
The 47 years-old Soleymanpoor was arrested on 21 August in the northern city
of Durham, where he is studying international politics at the city’s
prestigious university on an international warrant issued by an Argentinean
Judge who accuses him of participation in the bombing of the Argentinean Jews
centre in Buenos Aires.
The bombing on August 1994 left 85 people dead and 300 wounded.
Argentinean Jewish community is estimated at about 300.000 against some five million of Arab origin. The two communities have usually good relations together.
A lawyer for a group representing families of victims of the attack said it was "deplorable" that Britain had declined to extradite Soleymanpour.
Iranian authorities immediately welcomed the decision, observing that the British decision illuminates the "corruption" of the Argentine judiciary they accuse of acting under pressures from Washington and Tel Aviv.
An Appeal Court in London freed Mr. Soleymanpour last month on a record 750.000 British Pounds (1.05-million Euro, 1.22-million Dollar) bail.
The arrest badly deteriorated Iran’s relations with Argentine, but also with Britain, as Tehran recalled briefly its ambassador from London and cut remaining trade and cultural relations with Buenos Aires.
On September 3, shots were fired at the British embassy in Tehran just hours after Iran's ambassador to Britain was recalled "for consultations." Britain then authorised the voluntary departure of non-essential staff.
"The warrant for provisional arrest has been cancelled because we did not receive enough evidence to proceed", a Home Office spokeswoman said.
British Home Secretary David Blunkett in September received a 2,600-page strong dossier from the Argentine government outlining its demands and proofs that Mr. Soleymanpour provided logistic help to the terrorists, most of them Lebanese Shi’ites, who carried out the deadly operation.
Alongside Mr. Soleymanpoor, Argentine is also demanding the arrest of seven others, including former Iranian Intelligence Minister Hojjatoleslam Ali Fallahian and the former Iranian cultural attaché iat the Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires, Hojjatoleslam Mohsen Rabbani.
Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Bielsa meanwhile said he was ready to visit Tehran if such a trip would help track down those responsible for the bombing.
"I do not blame Iran, nor do I have any hypothesis of guilt. If I have to go (to Tehran) and that serves to bring us closer to give an answer to the families of the victims of the attack, I would get on an airplane tomorrow and do it", Bielsa told reporters, speaking shortly after Britain decision to free Mr. Soleymanpour. ENDS DIPLOMAT FREED 141103