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The trial is not expected to begin until the end of this year or the beginning of the next.

"We still have not totally solved this case, so we maintain the same commitment to discovering the truth," Galeano wrote in his ruling ordering the trial. He added that he felt a "personal commitment" to finding all those responsible.

Relatives of the bombing victims were not impressed by the judge's trial order.

"It's been more than five years since the bombing and we are still at square one," said Diana Malamud, a member of Memoria Activa, a group of victims' relatives that gathers every Monday morning in front of the Justice Palace.

Another member of the group told demonstrators Monday, "The damned trial will probably be futile and just provide a perfect excuse to close the AMIA investigation."

Prosecutors are seeking life sentences for six of the defendants, including a car thief and five former police officers. They are accused of turning over to the terrorists a white Renault van that was used for the car bombing.

The remaining suspects, including 11 former police officers, face lesser charges.

The AMIA bombing was the second major anti-Semitic attack to occur in Buenos Aires in the 1990s. A 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy left 29 dead and more than 200 injured.

Jewish leaders here and abroad have long cited incompetence, corruption and anti-Semitism among police and government officials as causes of Argentina's inability to solve either bombing.

The AMIA center was rebuilt and opened its doors last October.

Reminders of the AMIA bombing are visible two blocks away from the new building.trg There are 86 trees planted, one for every fatality, evenly spaced on along four blocks. A plaque stands on the side of each tree with a name and the date: 1994 – July 18 – 1999.