Hezbollah

Flag of Hezbollah.

Hezbollah (حزب الله, "Party of Allah"; sometimes spelled Hizbullah, Hezbullah, or Hezballah) is a Shi'a Islamic terrorist organization based in Lebanon. Founded in 1982, its primary goal is the elimination of the state of Israel. Its current Secretary General, Hassan Nasrallah, has publicly stated: "if Jews all gather in Israel, it will save us the trouble of going after them worldwide." In 2004, the organization's privately controlled TV broadcast station Al-Manar was banned in France for inciting racial hatred and Holocaust denial.

Funded and armed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, the group's first major terrorist attacks were the April 1983 U.S. Embassy bombing in which 63 people were killed and the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing in which 241 American military personnel were killed. While Iran is still the major source of their funding, they also receive financial backing from South America and U.S. law enforcement officials estimate that smugglers of illegal cigarettes in the United States provide millions of dollars to the group.

Armed with rockets with ranges varying from 13 to 100 kilometers, the group subjects Israel to constant cross-border bombardment; this led to the 2006 Lebanon War. Hezbollah claims that its attacks are aimed at military bases inside Israel, but most of the attacks are actually directed at civilian areas and have hit pedestrians, hospitals, schools and private homes.

In addition to their military operations, Hezbollah is a Lebanese political party. They hold 14 of the 128 seats in Lebanon's Parliament and 11 of 30 seats in the nation's cabinet.

Funding

Criminal funding

The Lebanese Shiite Terrorist Organization has been highlighted as a profile in "Crime and Terrorism" - Hezbollah's Criminal activity is widely in Lebanon and worldwide. , or what researches call: "various criminal enterprises to raise funds for Hezbollah." Among the illegal, criminal methods of the Islamic group is wide fraud, drug trafficking, credit card

fraud & cigarette smuggling, it has been known that "Cigarette Smuggling Funds Terrorism." In a 2009 report on "Hezbollah: narco-Islamism Middle East Strategy at Harvard" researchers have found that:

More than any other Islamist group, Hezbollah has a long record of engaging in criminal activity to

support its activities.

South America

The 'Hezbollah's global finance network' includes "The Triple Frontier" (in South America) - "Argentina, Brasil & Paraguay." ,

There's an extensive report on "Hezbollah and the Drug Trade in South America" - Hezbollah is active in the drug trade in Colombia, a web of criminality that extends from Lebanon to Africa to South America.

U.S.

The Washingtom Times had an editorial (2005) on 'Hezbollah in America' a 41-year-old businessman, was arrested at his Dearborn home on charges of smuggling funds to Hezbollah

Europe

There's a serious "Hezbollah's Terrorist Threat to the European Union" writes The Heritage (2007) From a report on "Hezbollah Around the World" - Arabs, Muslims in Germany have been key fund raising center for Hezbollah. through crimes of: drug trafficking, weapons and people smuggling and document and currency fraud.

U.S. Mexican border

Hezbollah is also accused of using the same southern narcotics routes that Mexican drug kingpins, that Hezbollah members have entered the U.S. border through drug cartel. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote an article on ‎Apr 10, 2009, "The Hezbollah threat: It's here, now."

Regional plans

Amongst its stated objectives is the establishment of a Shiite theocracy in Lebanon. Many in the Lebanese Christian diaspora, beyond the reach of Hezbollah intimidation, speak out forcefully against turning Lebanon into a Shia theocracy emulating Iran.

Global Plans

The Associated Press reported in May, 2010, that a Muslim cleric calls for 'Greater Iran' - Shi'ite Islamic union would stretch from Afghanistan to Israel. Ayatollah Mohammad Bagher Kharrazi said the creation of what he termed an Islamic United States is a central aim of the political party he leads - called Hizbullah, or Party of God. He added that he hoped to make his vision a reality if the party won the next presidential election. "The Islamic United States will be an introduction to the formation of the global village of the oppressed and that will be a prelude to the single global rule of the Mahdi," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Violence outside Lebanon

The violence & bloodshed besides: the attack on Marine Barracks in 1985. Targeting Israeli civilains. Use of Lebanese as human shields in the war with Israel.

Iraq

Already in November 24, 2003, The New York Times elaborated in an aticler: "A region inflamed, the hand of Tehran," Hezbollah, in Iraq, that Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Shiite group, has established a significant presence in Iraq.

In 2006. U.S. Officials said: "Hezbollah Training Iraqi Shiite Militia Group.“

The Wall Street Journal wrote (2007) on Iran's Proxy War, The involvement of Hezbollah in Iraq.

The BBC reported on additional proof, US officials had in 2007 of the link In an articlre on Iran in Iraq, the Washington Post wrote on Iran's Hezbollah soldiers and methods in the war in Iraq. the CNN reported on a Hezbollah agent played deaf before confessing, the top special operations officer with Lebanon's Hezbollah militia pretended to be deaf and mute when he was captured in Iraq.

In 2008, there were more repots on Hezbollah Trains Iraqis in Iran Iraqi president Jalal Talabani charged (May, 2008) Hezbollah interference, in a Baghdad interview, he accused the leader of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah of meddling in Iraq's affairs.

In May, 2010, the US said that Syria must curb arm shipments to Hezbollah, top US diplomat has urged Syria to do more to prevent arms shipments to the militant Lebanese Hezbollah and stem the flow of militants into Iraq.

Somalia

The New York Times reported on Hezbollah in Somalia. From NPR (November 15, 2006), the "U.N. Report ties Somali Islamists to Hezbollah, There is an alarming new report about the situation in Somalia. United Nations monitors say seven countries and various groups are supporting Islamists."

Afghanistan

Hezbollah Link in the war in Afghanistan have been found

Sudan

The Hezbollah, reportedly, is very suppportive Al-Bashir's genocie in the Sudan

Egypt

In 2009, the BBC reported that Egypt was 'hunting Hezbollah suspects', prosecutor accused Hezbollah of plotting attacks in Egypt, of sending operatives to Egypt to carry out attacks in the country and to smuggle weapons.

Analysts said that the Egypt-Hezbollah standoff dents Egypt-Iran relations

Azerbaijan

Hezbollah plotted embassy attack' in Azerbaijan - was revealed in 2009. A trial under way in Azerbaijan of two Hezbollah members and four Azeris, where prosecutors drew a link between Iranian-backed Hezbollah terror missions.

Europe

In 2009, there was a report of a "Massive Hezbollah Terror Attack Against Israeli Target In Europe," that has been thwarted.

Argentina

Hezbollah and Iran both are charged, via clear evidence, by Argentian court, with the Amia terror bombing which killed 85 and wounded 300. , furthermore, Argentina accuses Iran of meddling in probe of 1994 Jewish center bombing , the investigation finds Iranian, Hezbollah and Syrian involvement

Haaretz wrote in detail on "How Iran planned the Buenos Aires blast - 1994"

External links

• Hezbollah builds a Western base, From inside South America’s Tri-border area, Iran-linked militia targets U.S. By Pablo Gato and Robert Windrem, NBC News, May 9, 2007. Retrieved from MSNBC.com June 4 2007.