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Middle East insurgents extend base in S. America
The United States has determined that Islamic insurgency groups based in the Middle East have established operations in South America. U.S. officials said Middle East insurgents use South America to raise money through drug trafficking and other illegal activities. They said the Islamic groups also employ South America to recruit agents and ensure logistics for operations. The groups that operate in South America include the Palestinian-based Hamas, the Lebanese-based Hizbullah and the Egyptian Gamiat Islamiya, officials said. These organizations have representation in several countries in South America, including Argentina, Brazil, Columbia, Paraguay, Trinidad and Venezuela.
| Maybe especially in Venezuela... |
"These logistic cells reach back to the Middle East and extend to this hemisphere the sophisticated global support structure of international terrorism," U.S. Southern Command Gen. James Hill said. "Not surprisingly, Islamic radical groups and narcoterrorists in Colombia all practice the same business methods."
| That's because they've got lots in common... |
Posted by: Fred Pruitt 2003-11-23 |
