(17 Jul 1996) Spanish/Nat
Almost two years after a bomb ripped through a Jewish cultural centre in Buenos Aires, Argentinean police have still not identified the bombers who killed 95 people in the explosion.
But 14 police officers were arrested last Saturday in connection with the bombing.
Argentine Jewish groups, the U-S and Israel have accused Iranian-backed militants, but no firm links have been established.
The arrest of 14 police officers in Buenos Aires province last week could be just one piece of the puzzle.
The officers are suspected of participation in a stolen car ring and investigators hope they could help them trace the van used in the bombing of the AMIA Jewish Centre in Buenos Aires.
They were arrested for allegedly "violating the duties of a civil servant".
While one of the detainees denied knowing anything about it, the governor of Buenos Aires province was optimistic about the latest developments in the investigation.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
I don't know why they arrest me because of the AMIA issue. I don't even know what that means.
SUPER CAPTION: Jose Ferrari, arrested police officer
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
Our wish - whether a police officer from the area is involved or not - is that the investigation progresses because that would be the best news we could have, not only for the Jewish community but also for the Argentineans and for our image abroad so that they know this type of crime does not go unpunished in Argentina.
SUPER CAPTION: Eduardo Duhalde, Buenos Aires province governor
But the police chief said specific charges would be made after the officers were interrogated by the federal judge who is in charge of the bombing investigation.
In the Jewish community there is optimism after the latest arrests, but they think progress is too slow.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
Despite the time that has past, we are still in the evidence gathering phase to confirm the hypotheses on which we are working. So we must acknowledge that progress has been slow, and we hope the latest measures, which are public knowledge, - once responsibilities have been clarified- will allow us to progress more clearly and to discover what path and whose hands the van passed before it exploded in the AMIA building.
SUPER CAPTION: Ruben Beraja, President of DAIA (Israeli Association)
The Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) was blown up in downtown Buenos Aires 18 July 1994.
Some 95 people were killed and more than 200 injured in the attack.
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