BUENOS AIRES: The Argentine spy at the center of a scandal over last month’s death of a state prosecutor was accused of importing tonnes of contraband merchandise during his final years as head of the country’s counterintelligence office.
Antonio Stiuso was forced out of the SI intelligence service in December, weeks before state prosecutor Alberto Nisman accused President Cristina Fernandez of trying to cover up Iran’s alleged involvement in a deadly 1994 bombing.
The government says Nisman, who was found shot dead on Jan. 18, was manipulated by Stiuso into leveling the accusation as a way of smearing Fernandez.
Nisman’s mysterious death has brought long-simmering questions about the integrity of the Argentine justice system to a boil, prompting the opposition to take to the streets to demand answers.
In its latest accusation against Stiuso, the government said he secretly imported tonnes of unidentified goods whose destination remains unknown.
“We have concluded that in 2013 and 2014, contraband imports were received totaling 94 tonnes. These goods did not go to the SI, nor did they serve any function of the agency,” national intelligence chief Oscar Parrilli said in a televised address.
“Much of this merchandise entered the country under the name Antonio Stiuso,” he added. Some customs agents have also been implicated in the illegal import operations, he said.
Stiuso left Argentina last week after making a statement to the prosecutor investigating Nisman’s death.
