Rescue efforts after 1994 AMIA bombing
Rescue efforts after 1994 AMIA bombingREUTERS/Enrique Marcarian RR/ME

B’nai Brith Canada announced on Monday it is launching a count-up clock in an effort to emphasize and measure the Federal Government’s continued inaction in listing the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist entity.

The organization noted in a statement that more than four long years have elapsed since the House of Commons passed a motion calling on the Government to designate the IRGC as a terrorist group.

The statement came on the 28th anniversary of the AMIA Jewish Community Center bombing in Argentina in which 85 civilians were murdered and more than 300 injured.

“As you will see in our visual, Bennie has walked around the world a mind-boggling 5.2 times since the motion passed,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “Just think about that delay. We find it astonishing.”

“How much longer will it take the Government to fulfil its promised action to protect Canadians?” he added.

Following the IRGC’s 2020 shootdown of a Ukrainian airliner that killed 176 passengers, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents, B'nai Brith filed a lawsuit against the Government for failing to list the IRGC, in its entirety, as a terrorist entity. B’nai Brith’s lawsuit remains ongoing.

"Our new count-up clock measures the amount of time squandered since Parliament passed the motion to list the IRGC as a terrorist entity and will continue to do so for as long as necessary,” Mostyn said on Monday. “We encourage people to keep track of this absurd delay by periodically checking out our visual for updates on just how long this has continued. We also encourage our followers to share this release with as many of their friends and family as possible.”

“B’nai Brith will never stop advocating for the victims of Iranian terror,” Mostyn added. “As we commemorate the senseless slaughter of civilians 28 years ago at the AMIA Community Centre, we call on Canadians of goodwill to reject the IRGC and demand the Government of Canada list it as a terrorist entity.”

B’nai Brith noted that Canada classifies the Quds Force, a branch of the IRGC, as a terrorist entity — but not the IRGC as a whole. Unlike Canada, the United States lists the entire IRGC structure as a terrorist entity.

Several Iranian officials are wanted in Argentina for their role in the AMIA bombing, which was carried out through Iran’s proxy in Lebanon, Hezbollah. Iran denies involvement in the bombing and has repeatedly rejected Argentine demands for the accused to testify.

In 2020, on the 25th anniversary of the attack, Argentina designated Hezbollah as a terrorist group.

In 2012, then-Argentine President Cristina Kirchner signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran that would have established a "truth commission" to investigate the AMIA bombing.

Leaders of Argentina's Jewish community criticized the accord. An Argentine court in 2014 declared the agreement to be unconstitutional.