Concerns about Hezbollah’s presence and activities in Latin America, and specifically in Brazil, have gained prominence with official ads and recent investigations.
The United States State Department, through the Rewards for Justice (RFJ) program, is offering a reward of almost $ 60 million for information leading to the interruption of Hezbollah’s financial mechanisms requesting data on the organization’s networks in the region of the triple border, which covers Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay.
The US reward offer aims to identify and neutralize revenue sources, financial facilitation channels, donors, facilitators, financial institutions or exchange houses that help group transactions, companies or investments controlled by them, double -use technology acquisition companies, and criminal schemes that benefit financially Hezbollah.
US investigations indicate that in the triple border, Hezbollah’s funders and facilitators raise funds through various illicit activities, including money laundering, narcotic trafficking, smuggling (such as coal, oil, diamonds, cash, cigarettes and luxury products), Document forgery and US dollars forgery .
In addition, the group gets recipes for commercial activities Throughout Latin America, such as construction, import and export, and real estate sales.
Argentine statement
THE Argentine Security Minister Patricia Bullrich reinforced suspicions by stating in October 2024 that libanese Hussein Ahmad Karaki is Hezbollah’s head of operations in Latin America And that he recruited people in Brazil .
According to Bullrich, Karaki was in Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina between 1990 and 1991. He would have entered Argentina in 1992 with a Colombian document, bought the bomb car used in the attack on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires in the same year using a fake Brazilian identity.
The minister claims that Karaki also recruited Hussein Suleiman in Brazil in the 1990s to smuggle explosives. After the 1992 attack, Karaki would have fled to Foz do Iguaçu and, from then on, Relationship with Brazilian criminal factions, such as the first command of the capital (CCP) and the Red Command (CV) .
This relationship, initially focused on direct attacks, would have evolved into a connection modality for “recruitment”. Bullrich mentioned the operation of the Brazilian Federal Police trapiche, launched in 2023 to avoid terrorist acts in the context of this relationship.
Investigations by the Federal Police
Federal Police (PF) investigations in Brazil also indicate recruitment activities linked to the group. The PF concluded that Two Brazilian naturalized Syrians, Mohamed Khir Abdulmajid and Lucas Passos Lima, were responsible for the recruitment of three Brazilians for possible terrorist attacks.
According to the PF Terrorism Coping Division, these Brazilians were taken to Lebanon, Hezbollah base, for negotiations, with paid tickets and accommodation and receiving expensive money and gifts.
One of the recruited, a carioca musician, reported receiving the proposal of $ 100,000 to commit murders in Lebanon, being asked if he was part of some criminal faction.
The PF considers Mohamed Khir Abdulmajid and Lucas Passos Lima as “protagonists in the creation of a national network linked to the foreign terrorist group”. Mohamed is on the run into the red diffusion of Interpol and PF suspects that he fled to Lebanon.
Lucas Lima was arrested on returning from Beirut with $ 5,000 seized. The investigation began after the FBI identified a suspicious trip to Lebanon of a small group of individuals possibly involved in criminal and potentially terrorist activities in Brazil.
About Hezzbollah
Hezbollah is a Lebanon -based organization that receives financial and military support from Iran, a country designated by the US as a sponsor of terrorism.
It is estimated that the group generates about one billion dollars a year from Iran’s direct support, international business and investment, donor networks, corruption and money laundering activities.
In the 1990s, the group was considered responsible for the attacks on the Israeli embassy in 1992 and the Israeli Argentine Mutual Association (Amia) in 1994, which resulted in dozens of deaths. Argentine judges decided in April 2024 that the attack on the love was carried out by Hezbollah and responded to an “political and strategic project” of Iran.
The reward offered by the United States shows suspicions that Hezbollah operates or seeks to expand its influence in Brazil and the triple border region, using criminal activities and attempted recruitment.
On investigations
THE CNN Contact with the Federal Police and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) to ascertain whether there are recent evidence of ongoing operations, operations or investigations to combat or counteract terrorist actions of the group in the country.
The PF replied that it does not confirm or speak out about any investigations in progress. The Ministry of Justice has not yet responded.
This content was originally published in a $ 60 mi reward from the US: Understand Hezbollah’s presence in Brazil on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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