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"Now that Argentina has finally gotten to the bottom of this heinous crime, Interpol should be doing everything to see justice done, not delayed." Learn more Report by the Argentian state Prosecutors Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center Wikipedia's AMIA bombing pages Remembering AMIA--ten year anniversary BBC New report from 2003 AMIA's website

Interpol may not be following standard procedures in its handling of arrest warrants issued by the Government of Argentina for 11 Iranians and Shiite militia Hezbollah members implicated in a 1994 terrorist bombing in Buenos Aires, according to the Chairman and the Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

In a letter sent today to Ronald K. Noble, Secretary General of Interpol, Tom Lantos (D-CA) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) suggested that the agency, which processes arrest warrants issued by member governments, appears to have taken the unusual step of undertaking its own review of the evidence.

With 186 member countries, Interpol is the world's largest international police organization. It facilitates cross-border police co-operation, including worldwide distribution of arrest warrants and alerts for capture issued by a member states.

The July 1994 attack on the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA), a community center, killed 85 and injured more than 150. In November, 2006, Argentine officials issued arrest warrants for the 11 including former Iranian President Hashemi Rafsanjani and Monsen Rabbani -- the former Iranian cultural attache in Buenos Aries, who is allegedly tied to the purchase of a van that was used in the bombing.

The bipartisan congressional letter questioned why Interpol is taking the unusual step of investigating rather than helping to enforce legitimate arrest warrants issued by a member government.

"Argentina government authorities have issued new and more extensive indictments...with additional, relevant and conclusive evidence of Iran's involvement in the attack," it said. "We would like an explanation of the purpose and intent of these proposed proceedings or meetings with the government of Iran on the warrants and investigation."

Ros-Lehtinen and Lantos both have followed this case very closely through the years.

"Interpol should act expeditiously and assist Argentinato prosecute the alleged perpetrators of terror. Anything less than full cooperation undermines Interpol's essential mission," Ros-Lehtinen said.

"Now that Argentina has finally gotten to the bottom of this heinous crime, Interpol should be doing everything to see justice done, not delayed," Lantos said.