The Argentine Israelite Mutual Association suffered a terrorist attack with a car bomb on 18 July 1994 , which killed eighty-five people . It was the most destructive terrorist attack in the history of Latin America . The attack was universally condemned and 155,000 people manifested their concern in a demonstration at the Congressional plaza ; but Menem did not attend . The legal case stayed unresolved during the remainder of Menem 's presidency . Menem had suggested , in the first press conference , that former '' Carapintada '' leaders may be responsible of the attack , but this idea was rejected by the minister of defense several hours later . The CIA office in Buenos Aires initially considered it a joint Iranian-Syrian attack , but some days later considered it just an Iranian attack . Menem and Mossad also preferred this line of investigation . As a result of the attack , the Jewish community in Argentina had increased influence over Argentine politics . Years later , the prosecutor Alberto Nisman charged Menem with covering up a local connection to the attack , as the local terrorists may have been distant Syrian relatives of the Menem family . However , Menem was never tried for this suspected cover up , and on 18 January 2015 , Nisman was found dead of a gunshot to his head at his home in Buenos Aires
terrorist attack
AMIA bombing
Carlos Menem