Menem asked to be relieved of state secrecy to testify at the trial for covering up the attack on the AMIA, he warned that his statements could break the conviviality with other countries

Former President Carlos Menem today asked to be relieved of state secrecy to testify at the trial for covering up the attack on the AMIA for which he is accused, but warned it could affect "the interests of the Argentine State" and to cause "the disruption of peaceful coexistence "with other nations.

"It is a generic issue, but affects the Argentine government," said defender Omar Daer before the Federal Court 2 to raise the nullity of the case at the beginning of the debate, in the context of the third day of hearings.

Specifically, Daer claimed that former president to be relieved of "state secret" to testify at the trial where he is accused of covering up the "Syrian track", but threatened with the consequences of his remarks, which he warned, " could affect the interests of the state "Argentine and cause" the breaking of peaceful coexistence "with other nations.

A while later was the complaint of Memoria Activa which questioned more harshly that approach: "If Menem knows something of the attack and fell for 21 years, to come to this trial and say he knows honor the victims as a minimum compensation "said the lawyer Rodrigo Borda.

As the current Senator Menem is not present at the hearings due to health problems it was supposed to follow the debate alternatives through a videoconference.

He had even speculated that could provide preliminary statement, something that was not possible because the preliminary questions are not finished.

The truth is that Menem would follow the discussion via coax alternatives but there were technical problems in the building and that connection was without service.

Daer said that after the attacks on the embassy and the AMIA, Menem called not only to the SIDE but also the intelligence services of the United States, Britain, Israel and Brazil, among others, to clarify the facts.

And so, said his defense, his statement in this process would involve the need for the Senate to relieve him of the obligation not to disclose state secrets.

On the question of the involvement of state secrets defending former head of the SIDE Hugo Anzorreguy she was also added, and again accused also admitted.

In addition, Daer advantage to reject the accusation against his client: he said that he was imputing by a cover for the Syrian-born businessman Alberto Kanoore Edul when he was never charged with the bombing of the Jewish center.

"We have a cover that lacks the perpetrator. There is an absence of responsibility for the Syrian track. We also have the Iranian Kanoore Edul track ... If I had any responsibility, should be imprisoned ... But that part is omitted, "he complained.

And in that context, counsel argued: "There are nonexistent and insufficient evidence, we are on trial for side issues and not to try to discover the truth about the sad bombing" of July 18, 1994, that killed 85 people.

After trying to raise the invalidity of the processing of his client, Daer said that, at its discretion, concealment "is prescribed" and terminated his speech.

The defenses of former Judge Juan Jose Galeano and former prosecutors Eamon Mullen and Jose Barbaccia had also rejected the accusations against him, questioned the legitimacy of the judgment and challenged the validity of the participation of the complainants in the debate, which was rejected by these parties and the Public Ministry.

The TOF will be responsible for resolving these issues within two weeks, in early September, when the debate resumes.