Forensic shows prosecutor was shot from a distance of at least 15cm; police detail questioned
As more evidence comes to light in the suspicious death of Alberto Nisman, the Argentinian prosecutor investigating the 1994 Jewish community center bombing, the journalist who first reported his death has fled the country.
According to reports, Damian Pachter, has fled Argentina out of "fear for his life." Haaretz reported that he was en route to Israel and would arrive Sunday night. Pachter holds dual Israeli-Argentine citizenship.
Pachter, who writes for the English-language Buenos Aires Herald, first reported Nisman's death on Twitter, tweeting Sunday that "I was notified at this moment that a serious event occurred at the home of Alberto Nisman."
He announced via the Foro de Periodismo Argentino (Argentinean Journalist Forum) that he noticed "suspicious surveillance", and therefore decided to leave because "my life is in danger."
The Forum tweeted that "The journalists' forum is notifying that Damian Pachter left the country due to threats over his personal safety."
Adding that "as Pachter explained to the forum, yesterday he noticed suspicious sources trailing him, and felt that he had to leave the country at this stage."
Israeli news website The Times of Israel reported that the Forum stated that it has gone to "relevant authorities" and has called on the public to "pay attention to the safety of journalists in our country these days."
The Buenos Aires Herald reported Friday that Pachter had not expressed any concerns to them but was ready to help him in any way they can.
Nisman, 51, was found dead last week in his bathroom in a puddle of blood with a .22 caliber handgun and a casing next to his lifeless body. Investigators have said Nisman was alone when he died, and that the two doors to the apartment - a main entrance and a service entrance - were locked from the inside.
Shot from a distance of at least 15cm
A test of his hand showed no residue of gunpowder, and according to Argentinian Federal Police, new evidence from an initial forensics exam shows that he was shot at a distance of at least 15 centimeters.
The Federal Police also said that according to the forensics exam there was also no exit wound, a result which is usually found when a gun is pressed to the temple.
Nisman had been assigned a group of 10 police officers for protection, and on Friday all were being investigated for their actions on the day of his death.
While the officers, along with two supervisors, are not considered suspects, AP reported that investigators are looking into how long it took the two officers assigned to Nisman’s building to report to their superiors that they had not been able to contact Nisman by telephone.
Many questions are still left unanswered relating to the circumstances of his death, especially in light of the fact that the prosecutor died just a few days after accusing President Cristina Fernandez of trying to hamper his probe by protecting Iranian suspects in the 1994 bombing and attempting to cover up Tehran's involvement.
The US government called “for a complete and impartial investigation,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters Friday.
“The United States and the international community continue to work with the Argentine government, as well as victims of the AMIA bombing and their families, to seek justice,” Psaki said.
Argentine President Cristina Kirchner said Thursday that the prosecutor who investigated a 1994 bombing of a Jewish center did not commit suicide.
"I'm convinced that it was not suicide," Kirchner said in a letter posted on her Facebook page about the suspicious death of Alberto Nisman, who investigated the attack on the AMIA Jewish charities federation center in Buenos Aires.
"I have no proof, but I have no doubt. I am convinced that it was not a suicide," Kirchner added.
On Tuesday, the justice system in Argentina released Nisman's 300-page report, which includes his accusations against the president and Foreign Minister Hector Timerman. Nisman was scheduled to testify in front of Congress and present his report's findings hours after he was found dead.
According to Nisman's report, Argentina desperately needed Iran's oil because of a shortage of energy sources in the country. Buenos Aires was also short of dollars, which it sought to rectify by selling more meat, grains and seeds to the Iranians.
Tehran demanded Buenos Aires to clear all of the Iranian officials who were accused of being involved in the bombing, as well as remove them from Interpol's most wanted list. Following these demands, Nisman claimed, President Fernandez's government opened a channel of communications with Tehran run by the "Iran supporters" in the president's close circle.
A source who worked for years on the investigation with Nisman told Reuters that the lead prosecutor was sure of himself last week as he prepared to take his case of Congress. "He was very determined ... No one [on the investigative team] believes he committed suicide," the source said, echoing the opinion of Nisman's ex wife and others who knew him.