An Argentine court has absolved former President Carlos Menem of charges he tried to interfere with the investigation into the country's deadliest terrorist incident — the bombing of a Jewish center in 1994 that killed 85 people.

Thursday's ruling follows years of accusations that Menem and other officials tried to divert attention away from a Syrian businessman who was a family friend.

Menem was president from 1989 to 1999 and is now 88 years old. Even if convicted, likely would have avoided prison due to his legal protections as a senator.

Nobody has yet been convicted of the bombing of the Argentine Israelite Mutual Association, though Argentine prosecutors blame several former Iranian officials of responsiblility for the attack.