DETENTION OF JACOBO TIMERMAN - 1979/03/22

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Argentina Declassification Project - The "Dirty War" (1976-83)
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06626842
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: April 3, 2019
• Document Release Date: April 12, 2019
• Publication Date: March 22, 1979

Approved for Release: 2018/10/01 C06626842
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CONFIDENTIAL
GDS 3/22/85 (HARRIS, F. Allen) OR-P
SHUM AR
(U) Detention of Jacobo Timerman (116/77/9)
Secstate WASHDC IMMEDIATE
Amembassy TEL AVIV
USCINCSO QUARRY HTS CZ
CONFIDENTIAL BUENOS AIRES
REF: State 69331 (NOTAL)
1. C - entire text.
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2. SUMMARY: Timerman's brother, informed Embassy on
March 21 that Jacobo Timerman is planning to begin a
hunger strike in April if he is not released. The
Timerman
that GOA
release.
family has heard four stories which indicate
leadership is actively discussing Timerman's
The family's optimism is under firm control
as the many previous positive rumors have proved
illusory. The Israeli Ambassador has recently been told
that an effort to release Timerman is under way.
END SUMMARY.
3. Hunger Strike
Emboff met with Jacobo
POL:FAHarris:sz
60153-101
Timerman's brother, Josvon
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F- March 21, who affirmed information contained in refte-11
7
that his brother planned to begin a hunger strike to
protest his continued illegal imprisonment. The
strike
hunger/would not begin on March 24, the anniversary
of the military coup, as this would be interpreted as
an anti-government protest, instead of a demonstration
for personal freedom. Jacobo Timerman also wants
his Rabbi, Marshall Meyer, to be in town during the
hunger strike, as he reasons that if he is moved back
to jail, the Rabbi has the best chance of maintaining
contact with him.
3. Release Rumors
Jose Timerman stated that the family had received two
reports that Army Junta Member Viola, President Videla
and Interior Minister Harguindeguy had recently dis-
cussed permitting Jacobo Timerman to leave Argentina
for Israel during the "last days of March or the first
days of April." The Timerman family has received this
report from DAIA sources who said the information came
from a senior governmental official who the family
believe is MinInt Harguindeguy. The second source is
Cristina Federalist
elimixtbaz/Guzman, former/AxIix2ErmAisi deputy who
presently works for Viola.
4. Jose Timerman noted that Air Force Secretary General
L Lami Dozo commented at a press conference during the
CONFTDRAITTAL
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week of March 11 that "someday when you wake up, you will
find that Jacobo Timerman is in Israel."
5. Jose Timerman also reported that a message had been
received from Jacobo Kovadloff, American Jewish Committee's
Director of South American Affairs, that "the ambassador"
had asked that Columbia University not issue any invitation
to Jacobo Timerman or make any publicity against the Argentine
government because Timerman will shortly be Able to leave
Argentina. Jose Timerman said the Kovadloff report was
secondhand and the identity of "the ambassador" was not
clear. (For Ambassador Castro's comments to GOA on this
case see para 7, BA 2086. He has not been in touch with
Kovadloff.)
6. Jose Timerman said that at the beginning of March,
Interior Minister Harguindeguy spoke to Israeli Ambassador
to Argentina Nirgad about the Timerman case (see para 8
below). At that time, Gen. Harguindeguy reportedly told
Nirgad that to strip Jacobo Timerman's citizenship and expel
him from Argentina seemed to be both brutal and a bad action
politically. Harguindeguy lamented that the GOA could not
expel Timerman as he was an Argentine citizen and commented
that the other solutions all contained difficulties. (Note:
Jacobo Timerman has consistently refused to apply for the
right of option stating that application for an option would
L!! construed as a tacit admission of his wrongdoing.)
FORM
4-68 FS-413(H).
(CONTINUATION SHEET)
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7. Jose Timerman stated flatly that his brother was
planning to begin a hunger strike if he was not
released shortly. Jose Timerman noted that his brother
and the family were encouraged by the reports of the
government's consideration of Timerman's release in
late March or early April; however, Jose Timerman
noted that the family had been disappointed many
times before and their optimism was under control.
8. Contacts with Israeli Embassy
Israeli Embassy consular officer later confirmed
Jose Timerman's account that there have been high
level discussions between the Israeli Ambassador
and senior GOA officials regarding Timerman's
release. The Israeli Conoff said that he would not
characterize the Argentine officials' words as a
"promise" to release Timerman, but said that his
Ambassador was confident that serious efforts were
underway within GOA to effect Timerman's leaving
Argentina for Israel.
9. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Interest
Buenos Aires 2277 reports a discussion at the Foreign
Ministry of a possible USG response to Timerman's
release.
10. ACTION REQUESTED: Appreciate if Department would
pass substance of this message agiwto Rabbi Rosenthal]
CONFIDENTIAL
Classification
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(Formerly FS-413(H)e)
January 1975
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at ADL, emphasizing fact that Timerman does not repea-1t
not plan to begin his hunger strike on March 24. We
would also appreciate any further information which
the Department is able to gather regarding B'nai Writh
plans to pressure GOA to release Timerman.
11. Cox Reprimanded
Buenos Aires Herald Editor, Robert Cox, told Emboff
on March 21 that he had been "called in" by
Presidential Secretary General, Gen. Crespi to discuss
the recent "Newsweek" article on Timerman detention.
Cox noted that the major areas of the Casa Rosada's
concern were the story's quote of Preident Videla
saying that Timerman's being a Jew did not help his
case and story's portrayal of Videla as a weak
President. Cox expressed astonishment to the Embassy
at the lack of preparation by Gen. Crespi for the
meeting. According to Cox, Crespi was not even aware
of the Supreme Court or previous Army War Council's
favorable decisions in Timerman case. (Memcon being
pouched.)
CASTRO
CONFIDENTIAL
Claaaitication
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(Formerly FS-413(H)a)
January 1975
Dept of State