JACOBO TIMERMAN CALLS FOR INQUIRY INTO "DAVID GRAIVER AFFAIR" - 1981/07/30

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06626788
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: July 30, 1981

Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
00 RUESBA
VV ESA4 12ESA75 1 Ott stsypiE
,
DE RUEHTV 1902/01 2111224
ZNR UUUUU ZZH 141111EDM A677041
0 501215Z JUL 61 ZFF-4'be"
FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6599
RUESBA/A0EMBASSY BUENOS AIRES MEDIATE 0203
INFO RUEH.4E/AMEMB4SSY MEXICO IMEDIATE 0017
RUDXGPQ/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE IMMEDIATE 1143
ST
UNCLAS;_ TEL AVIV 11902
E.O. 12065: N/A
TAGS: SHUM, IS, US, PEPR, AR
SUBJECT: JACOB� TIMEPMAN CALLS FOR INQUIRY INTO-
- "DAVID GRAIVER AFFAIR"
ILLEGIB
CTG)
TO
MIINF TO I
MEM
AMB
=NUM ADM I
D
Eni IIP MS1111111.111111�1111
PoL
Ca two! a
ill
ECOM
Mi. I- I C1117/111
PouR
I= rillAlTrAll
MIMI
CONS
LI ..Png WAIN
ICA
0
MI to
LABOR
rcu
sci
frAMIIIIII
DAD
MIA FAS
Ind
MILGP
11,1 CNRON
MI
l'i-illl
FCS
111111111111 RF
:rim
1. (U) FOLLOWING IS _FULL TEXT OF AN ARTICLE APPEARING IN
JULY 30, 198 1 JERUSALEM POST ENTITLED "TIMERMAN URGES
INQUIRY INTO 'DAVID GRAIVER AFFAIR'."
2. (U) COMMENCE TEXT. JACOBO TIMERMAN YESTERDAY
CALLED FOR "AN INQUIRY BY A WORLD BODY SUCH AS THE INTER-
NATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE AT THE HAGUE" INTO THE
SO-CALLED GRAIVER AFFAIR, WHICH HAS SEEN TERMED
"ARGENTINA'S WATERGATE," (THE UN BODY ONLY LOOKS INTO
DISPUTES BETWEEN NATIONS AND MATTERS OF AN ESSENTIALLY
DOMESTIC NATURE ARE OUTSIDE THE COURT'S JURISDICTION.)
^ TIMERNAN WAS REACTING TO A REPLY YESTERDAY BY
THE ARGENTINE FOREIGN !AIN' STRY TO QUERIES BY THE
JERUSALEM POST REGARDING THE FOUR-YEAR IMPRISONMENT OF
FIVE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY OF DAVID GRAIVER, THE
CONTROVERSIAL YOUNG FINANCIER WHO DIED IN A PLANE CRASH
IN MEXICO IN AUGUST 1976. GRAIVER'S WIDOW, PARENTS,
AND BROTHER AND SISTER-IN-LAW WERE JAILED FOR ALLEGED
COMPLICITY IN WHAT ARGENTINE GOVERNNENT CALLS "ILLEGAL
TRAFFIC OF FOREIGN MONEY." THE SPECIFIC CHARGE IS
"ACTING AS FINANCIAL AGENTS FOR THE MONTONEROS
TERRORISTS."
- TIIIERMAN , FORMER PUBLISHER AND EDITOR OF THE
PRESTIGIOUS ARGENTINE NEWSPAPER LA OPINION, WAS RELEASED
FROM ARGENTINIAN DETENTION TWO YEARS AGO, AFTER A
WORLDWIDE OUTCRY AND INTERVENTION BY U .S . PRESIDENT
JIMNY CARTER THE POPE, AND MANY HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS AND
PRESS AND LEGAL ASSOCIATIONS. TIMERMAN'S PROPERTY WAS
CONFISCATED AND HE WAS STRIPPED OF HIS ARGENTINE
CITIZENSHIP. HE BECAME AN ISRAELI CITIZEN UPON HIS
ARRIVAL HERE IN 1979.
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
0,04461
4(
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
TIMERMAN WAS NEVER FORMALLY CHARGED WITH ANY
WRONGDOING IN ARGENTINA. HE SAYS HE WAS ARRESTED
FOR HIS LIBERAL VIEWS AND HUMAN RIGHTS STAND, BUT
THAT HE WAS TREATED ESPECIALLY HARSHLY BECAUSE HE
WAS A JEW.
MENTIONS THE NAME OF DAVID GRAIVER, WHO HEADED A
LARGE CONGLOMERFO OWNED 45 PERCENT
-- IN HIS RECENT BOOK ABOUT BEING TORTURED BY A
"NAZI FACTION" OF THE ARMY AND POLICE, TIMERMAN NEVER 40(40
OF TIMERMAN'S NEWSPAPER.
-- IN THE U.S. TIMERMAN'S BOOK HAS BEEN WIDELY 42>
PRAISED BY LIBERALS AND ATTACKED BY CONSERVATIVES.
IN AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW THAT WILL APPEAR IN TOMORROW'S
POST MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT, TIMERNAN REACTS TO THE
CRITICS WHO CITE THE ABSENCE OF GRAIVER'S NAME IN (HIS BOOK)
PRISONER WITHOUT A NAME, CELL WITHOU1 A NUMBER.
-- THE ARGENTINE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID YESTERDAY
THAT THE FIVE MEMBERS OF THE GRAIVER FAMILY ARE BEING
HELD UNDER SPECIAL DISPENSATIONS ENACTED BY THE MILITARY
JUNTA IN 1976 AND 1977 AImED AT PEOPLE SUSPECTED OF
OR OMISSIONS THAT FACILITATED THE ACTIVITIES
OF SUBVERSION." PENALTIES INCLUDE CONFISCATION 0F�
PROPERTY AND LOSS OF CITIZENSHIP FOR NATURALIZED
ARGENTINE CITIZENS (LIKE TIMERMAN, WHO WAS BORN IN ,
RUSSIA) AND EITHER EXPULSION OR "CONFINEMENT.�
-- ARGENTINA ALSO CHARGED THAT TIMERMAN, FOLLOWING
THE DEATH OF DAVID GRAIVER, HAD ATTEMPTED TO ENLARGE
HIS HOLDINGS IN LA OPINION AND IN THE GRAIVER PRINTING
PLANT, KNOWN AS GUSTOE4
CESENT OF GRAIVER'S
HEIRS.
-- "IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE HEIRS OF DAVID GRAIVER
FELT INJURED FOR WHAT THEY ESTIMATE IS AN ILLEGAL
MANEUVER TO STRIP THEM OF THEIR PROPERTY OF THE
NEWSPAPER AND THE ENTERPRISE THAT PUBLISHES IT,"
THE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID IN ITS TELEXED REPLY TO
THE POST.
-- ONE OF THE GRAIVER FAMILY'S U.S. ATTORNEYS,
DEYAN BRASHICH OF NEW YORK, SAID IN A TELEPHONE
INTERVIEW EARLIER THIS WEEK THfiT THERE WAS'A "PROBLEM",
BETWEEN THE FAMILY AND TIMERMAN OVER THE SbARES OF �
LA OPINION.,
� ;- - :
-- "AFTER DAVID'S DEATH, THE FAMILY TRIED TO REPAY
CERTAIN LOANS AND COMMITMENTS DAVID HAD MADE." HE
WAS APPARENTLY REFERRING TO THE FAILURE OF THE AMERICAN
BANK AND TRUST COMPANY OF NEW YORK, WHICH GRAIVER
ALLEGEDLY MILKED FOR ABOUT $50 MILLION. THE ABT COLLAPSE
WAS THE FOURTH BIGGEST BANK FAILURE IN U.S. HISTORY.
-- THE FAMILY "WANTED TO SELL THEIR 45 PERCENT OF
LA OPINION," BRASHICH SAID. "TIMERMAN TOLD THEM THAT
DAVID WAS NOT THE OWNER OF THAT 45 PERCENT BUT THAT
TIMERMAN WAS HCLDING THOSE ShARES IN TRUST -- THAT
IN FACT HE OwNtO 9e PERCENT OF THE PAPER. THE FAMILY
WAS PLANNING TO SUE HIM TO RECOVER THE 45 PERCENT,
SELL THE SHARES AND PAY OFF DEBTS WHICH HAD BEEN
,COLLATERALIZED IN ARGENTINA.", ,
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
��� ��� ��������.; I., O./
s�
-- THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT RECENTLY SOLD LA OPINION
FOR ,ONE MILLION DOLLARS.
- TIMERMAN SAYS HE "NEVER HEARD" THAT THE FAMILY
INTENDED TO SUE HIM. "I WAS NEVER IN TOUCH WITH THE
GRAIVER FAMILY BECAUSE THEY WERE NEVER INVOLVED IN THIS fm�,
BUSINESS WITH DAVID 'AND HIS LAWYER, JORGE RUbINSTEIN, viVUL-ASS/F/Ei
WHO WAS THE DIRECTOR OF THE GRAIVER GROUP (CONGLOMERATE)
AND WHO WAS TORTURED TO DEATH IN PRISON -- IN THE SA1E
JAIL WHERE I WAS LATER TORTURED. HE WAS INTERROGATED
AND TORTURED BY GENERAL RAMON CAMPS. IN BUENOS AIRES,
WHEN IT HAPPENED, LA OPINION WAS THE ONLY NEWSPAPER
THAT PU3LISHED IT."
-- CAMPS, ONE OF THE MAIN VILLIANS OF TIMERMAN'S BOOK,
WAS QUOTED BY THE LOS ANGELES TINES THIS WEEK AS SAYING
THAT ZIONISM IS A BRANCH OF COMMUNISM, LAST WEEK, HE
SAID THAT TIMEUAN'S ATTACKS ON THE ARGENTINE
GOVERNOENT HAD "ENDANGERED THE ENTIRE JEWISH COMMUNITY"
OF ARGENTINA,
^ GRAIVER'S FAMILY WAS "NEVER INvOLVED IN ANYTHING,"
ACCORDING TO TIMERMAN AND SEVERAL OTHER SOURCES,
WHO SAID THAT DAVID RAN A "ONE MAN SHOW."
-- "THE FAMILY VAS NOT ABLE TO RENT A HOUSE WITHOUT
HELP," TIMERMAN SAYS. HE DESCRIBED DAVID'S FATHER,
JUAN, WHO IMMIGRATED TO ARGENTINA FROM POLAND BEFORE
WORLD WAR II AND BUILT A BIG REAL ESTATE BUSINESS
FROM NOTHING, AS A "VERY NAIVE MAN" WHO KNEW NOTHING
OF HIS WHEELER-DEALER SON'S ACTIVITIES.
� TIMERMAN SAYS THE JUNTA'S SPECIAL LEGAL MEASURES
AGAINST THE TERRORISTS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS ARE ILLEGAL.
"THEY ARE MAKING LAWS THAT PROHIBIT THINGS THAT WERE
LEGAL FOR 2E, 30, 40 YEARS, ACCORDING TO ARGENTINE LAW
AND THE COUNTRY'S CONSTITUTION."
.. HE DENIES THE GOVERNMENT'S CHARGES THAT THE
GRAIVER,S WERE INVOLVED IN BANKING MONEY FOR MONTONEROS -lpfli nr,
TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WERE ACQUIRED BY THE 4_.1..-Oir-ir..
TERRORISTS OVER THE YEARS BY KIDNAPPINGS AND BANK -'ulf-iti
ROBBERIES. IN THE MID-SEVENTIES, TWO BROTHERS WERE
RANSOMED FOR 60 MILLION DOLLARS ALONE.
-- "THEY CANNOT PROVE IT -- THIS IS THE POINT," TIMERMAN
SAYS. "SHOW THE PROOFS! THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT
SHOULD APPOINT THE COURT AT THE HAGUE TO STUDY HE CASE
THE CASE OF TIMERMAN AND THE CASE OF GRAIVER. IF II'S
SO DIPORTANT TO ARGENTINA, LET THEN APPOINT THE COURT
TO UNDERTAKE THIS INQUIRY -- SO THAT 4E WILL ALL KNOW."
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
,
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
� THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT IN ITS REPLY TO THE -.POST
YESTERDAY SAID THAT THE "BEHAVIOR OF JACOBO TIMERMAN
ABROAD" HAS NOT HAD ANY EFFECT ON THE CASE OF THE
IMPRISONED GRAIVERS -- DAVID'S WIDOW LIDIA , BROTHER
ISADORO AND HIS WIFE (ALSO NAMED LIDIA) AND PARENTS
JUAN AND EVA. "IT CANNOT BE SAID THAT THE CAP1PAIGN
MANAGED BY TIMERMAN RESULTS IN ANY DANGER FOR THEIR
SITUATION," THE TELEX FROM ARGENTINA SAID.
1%�� 0604 �-�
TIMERMAN HAS CHARGED THAT THE DETENTION OF THE
FAMILY IS "THE REAL DREYFUS AFFAIR ," BECAUSE THE
JEWISH COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP OF ARGENTINA HAS MADE NO
EFFORT TO HAVE THEM RELEASED NOR HAS THE U.S . JEWISH
COMMUNITY MADE ANY ATTEYPT TO URGE THE ARGENTINE
GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE THE GRAIVER FAMILY (GRAIVER' S
W IDOW IS NOT A JEW)
-
ACCORDING TO RI CHARD KARP , AN AMERICAN REPORTER
WHO IS WR ITING \ A BOOK ABOUT THE TRI CONTINENTAL COLLAPSE
OF THE GRAIVER El'IP IRE, AMERICAN AND t+IEXICAN JEWISH
LEADERS WOULD NOT CARE IF THE FAreaLY REMAINED IN JAIL
BECAUSE DAVID GRAIVER "RIPPED THEN OFF FOR 20 MILLION
DOLLARS. GRAIVER WAS A SWINDLER, AND THAT'S WHY
THEY'RE NOT DEFENDING THE FAMILY." END TEX1 . BROWN
BT
1902
f
"7-;�����%1q111'1`..,-- i. +. 41: $, 11.?",..4�.�:: -
r
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
I
'
- -0
t ,
,
ILLEGIB
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626788
ILLEGIB