Argentina Judge Dismisses Cover-Up Case against Kirchner

An Argentine judge on Thursday dismissed the case against President Cristina Kirchner for allegedly shielding Iranian officials from prosecution over the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish center.

Prosecutors had sought to relaunch the case against Kirchner that was being brought by their late colleague Alberto Nisman, who died mysteriously last month after accusing Kirchner of protecting Iranians suspected of ordering the deadly bombing at the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association.

Judge Daniel Rafecas rejected the new case brought by prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita, whose team took over the file from Nisman and formally renewed his accusations.

"I dismiss the case because no crime was committed," Rafecas said.

Nisman was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the head in his bathroom on January 18, four days after filing a report accusing Iran of ordering the attack via Lebanon's Hizbullah, and alleging that Kirchner was trying to shield Iranian officials from prosecution in exchange for oil.

Since his death, initially labeled a suicide, suspicion has fallen on Kirchner's government of orchestrating Nisman's murder.

The president has suggested the prosecutor was manipulated by disgruntled former intelligence agents who then killed him to smear her.

The long-unsolved bombing at the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association killed 85 people and wounded 300.