The US has formally accused an individual, purportedly associated with Hezbollah, in connection with the lethal 1994 bombing in Buenos Aires

The Manhattan federal court has unsealed an indictment charging a senior member of Hezbollah’s Islamic Jihad Organization with involvement in the 1994 terrorist bombing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This attack led to the death of 85 people.

Samuel Salman El Reda, 58, who is currently believed to be in Lebanon and remains at large, has been identified as a key figure in Hezbollah’s terrorist operations since 1993.

According to the indictment, El Reda was involved in conspiracies supporting terrorist activities in Lebanon, Argentina, Panama, Thailand, and other countries from 1993 to 2015. The indictment lists six aliases for El Reda, including “Salman Ramal,” “Sulayman Rammal,” “Salman Raouf Salman,” and “Hajj.” He is facing multiple charges, including conspiracy and providing material support to a terrorist organization.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen stated that El Reda played a significant role in planning and executing the brutal attack on the Asociacion Mutual Israelita Argentina building in Buenos Aires on July 18, 1994. This attack resulted in 85 deaths and numerous injuries.

El Reda is accused of passing on critical information to Islamic Jihad Organization operatives, which aided in planning and carrying out the Buenos Aires bombing. In the years following the bombing, he reportedly recruited, trained, and managed operatives worldwide, deploying them in countries including Thailand, Panama, and Peru.

In May 2009, El Reda allegedly instructed an operative to go to Thailand to dispose of a stockpile of ammonium nitrate and other explosive materials thought to be under surveillance. He is also accused of directing surveillance activities in Panama in 2011 and 2012, focusing on the Panama Canal and embassies of the U.S. and Israel.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams highlighted that the Argentina bombing was part of a series of terrorist operations led by El Reda on behalf of the Islamic Jihad Organization, a Hezbollah branch focused on terrorism and intelligence activities outside Lebanon.

New York Police Department Commissioner Edward A. Caban described El Reda as the primary coordinator of the Argentina attack and noted his involvement in various plots worldwide.

The U.S. Department of Treasury officially recognized Hezbollah as a terrorist organization in 2001, and the State Department in 2010 identified it as a significant and ongoing security threat to the United States.