Posted on 03/27/2009 3:06:44 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
American officials say ties between Shiite organization, Mexican drug lords for trafficking of drugs, money, people into US strengthening over recent year. One official voice concern that al-Qaeda may use same routes.
Ties between Lebanon's Shiite Hizbullah organization and Mexican drug cartels have been strengthening over the past few years, the Washington Times reported Friday.
Hizbullah relies on "the same criminal weapons smugglers, document traffickers and transportation experts as the drug cartels," said Michael Braun, former administrator and chief of operations at the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
"They work together," added Braun, "They rely on the same shadow facilitators. One way or another, they are all connected. They'll leverage those relationships to their benefit, to smuggle contraband and humans into the US; in fact, they already are (smuggling)."
A number of American security officials, counterterrorism experts and drug trade law enforcement officials agreed with Braun's comments and said Hizbullah's use of the Mexican drug routes continued to increase with time.
The routes in question start in South America's tri-border region of Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil and continue to smuggling routes above and below the US-Mexico Border. Hizbullah is also suspected of operating similar routes through Venezuela and Columbia.
To finance its operations, Hizbullah relies in part on funding from a large Lebanese Shiite Muslim diaspora that stretches from the Middle East to Africa and Latin America. Some of the funding comes from criminal enterprises.
'Mexican cartels loyal to no one' There have been no confirmed cases of Hizbullah moving terrorists across the Mexico border to carry out attacks in the United States, but it is believed that members and supporters of the group have entered the US in this way in the past.
Last year, Salim Boughader Mucharrafille was sentenced to 60 years in prison on charges of organized crime and immigrant smuggling. Mucharrafille, a Mexican of Lebanese descent was arrested in 2002 for smuggling 200 people, said to include Hizbullah supporters, into the US.
Mahmoud Youssef Kourani was convicted by an American court of providing "material support and resources ... to Hizbullah" in 2003 after crossing the border two years earlier.
"The Mexican cartels have no loyalty to anyone," a US law enforcement official told The Washington Times. "They will willingly or unknowingly aid other nefarious groups into the US through the routes they control. It has already happened. That's why the border is such a serious national security issue."
Another US counterterrorism official confirmed that the US is keeping a close eye on the links between Hizbullah and drug cartels and said it is "not a good picture." A senior US defense official warned that al-Qaeda could also make use of the trafficking routes to infiltrate operatives into the US.
Bump for Sat. reading
“Hizbullah relies on “the same criminal weapons smugglers, document traffickers and transportation experts as the drug cartels,” said Michael Braun, former administrator and chief of operations at the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).”
Say what!??? You mean ALL the guns in Mexico aren’t being sold at gun shows in the USA??? Don’t tell Hillary!!!
We are so screwed.
“This is eventually going to lead to a shooting war between US troops and SOME entity south of the border,”
It might start there, but it’s going to end up being a shooting war with troops in our cities. The shooting started long ago. And the beheadings. And the kidnappings. And the 300 bodies dissolved in acid. And on and on and on. Lovely culture. That’s day to day in Mexico and it will all be here. Why not? It worked there.
“US Immigration Services allow thousands of Islamics in every year legally to United Amiristan.”
Yes, Ma’am.
Iran Native Copied, Transferred Nuclear Software While Employed At Largest U.S. Reactor
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2216422/posts
Both elements are dedicated to the destruction of America.
It would be nice if the fake president would do something about the border with Mexico, and leave the Canadians alone.
You and I Can’t Buy the Guns Mexican Cartels Own
Gun News Daily | March 1, 2009 | Ralph Weller
Posted on 03/27/2009 8:20:09 PM PDT by upchuck
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2216645/posts
Guatemalan police raid [Mexican]hitman training camp
Houston Chronicle/AP | March 27, 2009 | JUAN CARLOS LLORCA
Posted on 03/27/2009 7:41:06 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2216621/posts
That is insane. We need to protect our borders and we need to deport illegal aliens and be far more selective about legal immigrants.
How about the open warming of relations between Mexico and Iran with our State Dept giving its blessing:
While America’s political and diplomatic glitterati are riveted on Mexico’s civil drug war — and Mexico is appropriately busy managing its biggest existential peril since Pancho Villa — the Islamic Republic of Iran is about to slip into the country before anyone really notices.
Late last month, the mullahs sent emissaries to Mexico City to pitch vastly expanded trade ties of the sort that, at least in Venezuela, Bolivia, and Nicaragua, have given national security establishment types the hives.
According to a February 27 press release put out by Mexico’s department of foreign relations, Secretary Maria Lourdes Aranda Bezaury met with Tehran’s deputy foreign minister for the Americas, Ali Reza Salari. The Mexicans fielded an Iranian proposal to expand ties in the “political, economic, and cultural arenas,” the release stated.
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/iran-setting-up-shop-south-of-the-border/
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has warned in its latest report that the axis between South American drug cartels and the Albanian mafia have acquired alarming proportions, and reports by several intelligence agencies show that Kosovo is a distribution center on the crossroads of global routes and pathways of drug trafficking.
Think Islamists/Muslim Mafia, profiting from our "sins" -- drugs, people trafficking, prostitution, illegal arms, etc -- hanging us with the "rope" that we paid for.
Sounds like that book DANCE WITH THE DRAGON
Russian Spetsnaz/SVR and Chinese special forces/intel also use that route, along with the Cuban DGI and Venezuelan and Nicaraguan equivelents.
We were warned and warned!!! NO ONE listened!
And even Rumsfeld put out the warning! (2005) http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0411/16/ldt.01.html
DOBBS: Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is warning of the threat of terrorists entering this country through the same routes as those used by illegal aliens. Secretary Rumsfeld, traveling in South America, warned that enemies look for weaknesses and take advantage of them.
DONALD RUMSFELD, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: The risk is that some of these human-smuggling routes into our country from this hemisphere could be used just as easily for terrorists.
DOBBS: And three million illegal aliens are estimated to be entering this country this year.
Secretary Rumsfeld also said the United States has to be, as he put it, smarter and quicker in securing our borders. The federal government’s failure to secure those borders is leading individual states to take action. Arizona’s Proposition 200, which limits state benefits for illegals, passed overwhelmingly two weeks ago. Now at least half a dozen other states are considering similar measures.
First thing first: Border Fence.
The problem with drugs is supply and demand. We always demand, thus there will be supply.
Having drugs illegal, forces them onto the black market, where criminal scum control everything.
Human nature dictates drug use, some people have in their genes a desire to use and enjoy mind consuming products, thus this issue will never go away.
Simple solution: Legalize drugs. Government can tax, and distribute. Cartels lose their money, and control of their enterprises; and criminal scum are out of business.
Making drugs legal will not turn everyone into a drug addict. That is stupid un-educated government propaganda.
Alcohol is legal and everyone is not an alcoholic.
If an addict commits a crime, they go to jail. Same as the alcoholic. The addict should not go to jail for simply having drugs. Stupid.
So called Conservatives claim to want to conserve American values; outlawing an individuals decision to decide what he/she can consume is a total lack of liberty or freedom.
As for Hezbollah. They are part of the Lebanese government, they are not going away. They have always had a reach into this country, and will continue to do so as long some countries in the world support them.
Israel should have been allowed to Annihilate them in 2006. We should have annihilated them in 80’s.
This cant be. Im shocked! We were told that we need open borders and that it is good for America. Besides, Hillary just told me its all our fault. Bizarro world.
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