A document drop by LulzSec has revealed an ominous
bulletin from police officials in Tucson, Arizona.
In short, law enforcement is advised to be
on the lookout for Hezbollah terrorists
operating in the traditional smuggling
corridors on our (wide-open) southern
border with Mexico.
Presence in the Tri-Border Region Made up of Puerto
Iguazu, Argentina; Foz do Iguazu, Brazil; and Ciudad
del Este, Paraguay, the area in South America known
as the Tri-Border area (TBA), has long been considered
a safe haven for organized crime and Islamic terrorist
networks, including Hezbollah.
As of 2002, the population of the TBA reached
630,000 of which approximately 25,000 were Arab
or of Arab descent. Illegal activity in the region
includes counterfeiting, money laundering, and the
easy acquisition of false documents. The recent
arrest of Moussa Ali Hamdan [arrested in Ciudad del
Este, Paraguay, for conspiring to provide material
support to Hezbollah] confirms Hezbollahs continued
presence in the region.
Presence in Mexico
Based on a study done by Georgetown University, the
number of immigrants from Lebanon and Syria living in
Mexico exceeds 200,000. Along with Iran, Syria is one
of Hezbollahs strongest financial and political
supporters, and Lebanon is its country of origin.
In July of this year, Mexican authorities arrested
Jameel Nasr in Tijuana, Baja California. Nasr was
alleged to be tasked with establishing the Hezbollah
network in Mexico and throughout South America.
In April of last year, the arrest of Jamal Yousef
in New York City - exposed a weapons cache
of 100 M-16 assault rifles, 100 AR-15 rifles,
2,500 hand grenades, C4 explosives and
antitank munitions.
According to Yousef, the weapons, which were being
stored in Mexico, had been stolen from Iraq with the
help of his cousin who was a member of Hezbollah.
With the arrest of Jameel Nasr and Jamal Yousef,
obvious concerns have arisen concerning Hezbollahs
presence in Mexico and possible ties to Mexican drug
trafficking organizations (DTOs) operating along the
U.S. Mexico border. The potential partnership bares
alarming implications due to Hezbollahs long established
capabilities, specifically their expertise in the making of
vehicle borne improvised explosive devises (VBIEDs).
