Argentine Gov’t does not regret decision to reveal travel details of Israeli journalist who fled the country following the death of Special Prosecutor Alberto Nisman

ed note–the decision on the part of the Argentine government to make these details public is being done for 2 reasons–

1. To prepare the public mind for forthcoming information revealing Israel’s role in AMIA and in the murder of Nisman, and

2. As a warning to Israel, America and all others involved that Argentina has the goods on them and that they better not think of doing anything ‘dramatic’ in trying to sabotage the release of this damning information.

Buenos Aires Herald

Two days after state-run news agency Télam released the private travel details of BuenosAiresHerald.com journalist Damian Pachter to widespread criticism, the government made clear yesterday it did not regret the decision.

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s Chief-of-Staff Aníbal Fernández defended the move, saying it was necessary and legal for “reasons of public concern.”

The Kirchnerite official argued that Article 10 of the Personal Data Law “says that you may reveal personal data following a judicial order and (also) based on well-founded reasons of public concern, which includes this case.”

Pachter, who last week broke the news of the death of AMIA special prosecutor Alberto Nisman, decided to leave the country after reportedly feeling threatened, travelling incognito via Uruguay en route to seek refuge in Israel. Hours later, the agency published a electronic screengrab of his ticket, showing his travel details. (A link to the report was also posted online, via the national government’s official Casa Rosada Twitter account.)

Fernández offered a bizzarre defence of the move — which was immediately widely questioned by opponents and government allies alike — arguing that the journalist “said he felt threatened, with no one having knowledge of his location, so it’s very important to publish that information.”

Earlier yesterday, Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich expressed doubt over the claim that Pachter had been followed by an agent of the Intelligence Secretariat (SI, formerly SIDE).

“If he actually took a picture of the person that was following him, he needs to publish it so that (the government) can take the matter (in its own hands) to see if he really is an intelligence agent, or not,” Capitanich told reporters during his daily press conference at Government House.

The Chaco leader said journalists should feel “completely safe” in Argentina.

Criminal complaint

Renewal Front lawmaker Mauricio D’Alessandro, a Sergio Massa ally, yesterday filed a criminal complaint against state-owned airline Aerolíneas Argentinas for revealing details about Pachter’s ticket purchase on Saturday night.

“When someone who took part in communicating a serious event like the death of prosecutor Nisman decides to leave the country in order to protect his life, the very act of revealing confidential and private information is even more sensitive than in normal cases,” D’Alessandro argued.

The Renewal Front representative accused the airline’s highest authorities of violating confidential data and breaching security.

“The information that is in the hands of Aerolíneas Argentinas is confidential, which means (disclosing the journalist’s travel details) is a crime committed by the company,” he argued in the complaint, which was registered as number 584/2015 and will be analyzed by Judge Sebastián Ramos.