Iran, Hizballah, Drug Cartels: Counterterrorism Considerations Clare

Iran, Hizballah, Drug Cartels: Counterterrorism Considerations Clare M. Lopez, B.A., M.A. Senior Fellow Center for Security Policy 1 November 2013 Oklahoma CLEET 1

The Following Briefing is UNCLASSI FIED 2

Course Admin & Overview Five-part course today – The Hizballah Threat – An Overview – Hizballah: The Nature of the Threat – Hizballah Financing & Terror Support – Hizballah Threat to North America – The EMP Threat Q & A, break following each section Lunch 1200-1300 Conclude by 1700 3

Clare M. Lopez: 30 Years in USG, Private Sector, Non-Profit World, & Academia M.A., International Relations, Maxwell School, Syracuse University Completed Marine Corps OCS 20-yr. veteran CIA ops officer ExecDir, Iran Policy Committee, co-author 2 books on Iran Lecturer on Iran, Hizballah, Muslim Brotherhood at FBI Academy, LLE, National Guard, USAWC, on campus Fellow: Center for Security Policy, Clarion Project, London Policy Center 4

Iran Experience First-hand experience with Iranians, Lebanese Exile movements, dissidents, defectors U.S. Iran/HZB experts Speak, read, write Farsi

Iran/HZB Info in an Open Source World Authors, investigative journalists Scholars, researchers Affidavits, evidence, filings, testimony from court cases Defectors, exiles, Iranian travelers USG official documents Ken Timmerman Patrick Clawson

Introduction to Hizballah One-day course presents basics about Hizballah as: Islamic jihadist terror organization Iranian proxy for power projection Transnational criminal group Lebanese military & political power Above all, Hizballah is a direct threat to U.S. national security 7

Course Objectives Students will be able to analyze, discuss, present on Hizballah’s – Capabilities – Ideology & Motivations – Offensive Intent in US – Historical Background, Behavior – Likely Course of Action in US homeland Students will be able to apply understanding of Hizballah to daily LE detective, patrol, supervisory responsibilities & legislative role as well 8

Hizballah Threat: An Overview Hizballah’s chain of command goes directly to Iranian Supreme Leader US LLE must understand Hizballah is here in the US and will do whatever Iran’s SL commands Hizballah closely allied with both alQa’eda & Iran for 20 years 9

Presence is Real and Growing 2012 Congressional testimony: DEA Michael Braun said ‘Hezbollah & Quds Force operatives are pouring into Latin America’ - mainly thanks to Hugo Chavez, Venezuela ‘Hezbollah has strong interest in our Southwest Border and has already successfully exploited it’ 10

FBI Advice on Hizballah Hizballah operatives may not fit profile of Lebanese Shi’ite Hizballah uses nationals of Iran, Iraq Hizballah reaches out to African American Muslims Willing to collaborate with Sunni Muslims like HAMAS Bottom line: Hizballah will work with ANYONE willing to attack US, Israel, Jews 11

Hizballah is Sophisticated Hizballah cells in US extremely CI/security conscious Warn members to compartment by team, be alert for Lebanese community members who cooperate w/LLE Lebanese community enclaves camouflage, fund, protect Hizballah ‘Neighborhood Watch’ program 12

America is the Target Islamic jihad presence in North, Central, South America deliberate policy by Iranian regime to export revolution 1980s-1990s: Hizballah rode vector of Lebanese Shi’ite emigration to SA Tri-Border Area 1st established outpost – network grew, spread to Mexico, US border 2000s: Iran’s diplomatic initiatives open new opportunities for terror ties to cartels, gangs Threat to U.S. is mature, robust, HERE 13

Hizballah: The “A Team” ? Hizballah is the “A Team” and Al-Qa’eda the “B Team” Former Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage Hizballah is a Strategic Threat to U.S. National Security 14

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said that Hizballah makes “al Qaeda look like a minor league team" 15

Hizballah Cells Already in U.S. 2003: Former CIA Director George Tenet testified 12 Hizballah cells were operating in the U.S. “Actively casing and surveilling U.S. facilities” Hizballah operatives left U.S. for Lebanese terror training camps 16

Hizballah Cells in U.S. Cities: Iran’s ‘Insurance Policy’ ? 2011 Congressional testimony by Ilan Berman ‘Present in active cells in no fewer than 15 cities’ ‘Has operational capability to strike targets if it chooses to do so’ Ilan Berman is VP American Foreign Policy Council 17

Hizballah is Here Dept. of State 2012 Country Reports on Terrorism: “There were no known operational cells of either al-Qa'ida or Hizballah in the hemisphere” LLE, counterterror experts know this is inaccurate 18

Department of Defense is Worried Adm. James G. Stavridis, then- commander U.S. SouthCom, testified to Congress on nexus between “Islamic radical terrorism” and illicit drug trafficking (March 2009) Interagency ops targeting Hizballah- connected narcotics & money-laundering rings in LA IRGC Qods Force also involved 19

Hizballah’s Western Presence: Terror, Crime, Narcotics Hizballah cells present throughout Western Hemisphere Under command of Iranian IRGC/Qods Force Running narcotics & scams, smuggling cigarettes, buying hi-tech military gear Pre-attack casing, surveillance too 20

Hizballah: Iranian Terror Proxy Amb. Roger Noriega Congressional testimony: Hizballah ‘a determined & deadly enemy of the US’ Hizballah made substantial progress recent years ‘to increase its activities in Latin America’ Unless USG acts, ‘there will be an attack on US personnel, installations, or interests in the Americas’ 21

Hizballah is Training Narcos Per Amb. Noriega, ‘at least two’ Hizballah networks expanding in LA Implications for US: narco-trafficking, recruitment, training DoS not paying enough attention to Hizballah threat in Western Hemisphere while DEA more aware 22

JFK Airport Plot 2007: 4 men arrested in plot to detonate fuel tanks, pipelines Guyanese Abdul Kadir arrested in Trinidad, before boarding plane to Venezuela - had met w/Mohsen Rabbani in Iran, on orders from him May 2013: Iranian plot direction confirmed by Argentine prosecutor Alberto Nisman in AMIA case 23

Rabbani Heads Hizballah Network Rabbani & brother run terror network in Brazil Per Brazilian intel: 20 operatives from Hizballah, al-Qa’eda, others Key collaborator: Khaled Razek Tak el-Din, Sao Paulo Guarulhos mosque – hosted UBL, KSM in 1995 24

More Hizballah Ops Hizballah operatives conduct terror training on Venezuela’s Margarita Island Apr 11 TV: Venezuelan Walid Makled, arrested cocaine kingpin linked to Sinaloa cartel, said Hizballah runs cocaine labs in Venezuela, w/govt protection 25

Operation Titan 2008 joint US-Colombia drugtrafficking, money-laundering op investigation Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Europe, US, West Africa involved FARC cocaine w/some proceeds going directly to Hizballah funding 26

Operation Smokescreen 1998-2002: FBI dismantled Hizballah ring in Charlotte, NC w/Canada, Lebanon links ‘Charlotte Hezbollah Cell’ smuggled cigarettes to MI for 8m profits Also supplied ‘currency, financial services, training, false documentation, commo equipment, explosives’ to Hizballah Mohamad Youssef Hammoud, other cell members entered NYC on forged visa from Venezuela 27

‘Smokescreen’ Criminal Activities 77 Count Indictment Interstate transport stolen goods Immigration fraud Credit card fraud (to buy cigarettes) Fraud by wire, mail fraud Money laundering Conspiracy to provide material support/providing material support to terrorist organization RICO/racketeering 28

Hizballah Manipulated US System ‘With Ease’ Used business fronts: gas station bought w/false SBA loan; restaurant; 2 tobacco shops, painting business All to disguise actual activities Visas obtained with bribes Sham marriages to obtain US immigration status; polygamy ‘Political Asylum’ to avoid deportation Still terrorists, trained, weapons 29

Operation Tobacco Road May 2013: NYPD busted complex cigarette smuggling ring 16 Palestinians charged – some with terrorist links to HAMAS – all but 2 in US illegally 2011-13: bought in VA, trucked to NY/NJ, sold tax-free to small bodegas 37 cents/pack -VA - 5.85/pack - NY 22m in profits – only 7.8m found 30

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Used Car Operation Dec 2011: DEA investigated Florida-based used car operation that raised for Hizballah Cars bought in US, shipped/sold in West Africa Involved 70 used car auto dealerships across US CanadianLebanese Bank, others laundered 480m 32

The Nisman Indictment: Iran’s Comprehensive Strategy May 2013: 502-pg. indictment of Iran, Hizballah in 1994 AMIA bombing Accused Iran of ‘infiltrating’ SA countries ‘by building local clandestine intelligence stations to sponsor, foster & execute terrorist attacks, within the principles to export the Islamic revolution’ 33

2012 DoS Country Terror Report Noted a ‘marked resurgence of Iran’s state sponsorship of terrorism’ Regime uses IRGC/Qods Force, MOIS, and Hizballah to project influence & power Iranian expansion in LA for espionage and terror-network activities, not trade 34

Hizballah Attacked the Homeland Once Before Iran-Hizballah-alQa’eda terror alliance coordinated 9/11 attacks together Mughniyeh recruited, escorted, trained hijackers 35

Hizballah and 9/11 “In October 2000, a senior operative of Hezbollah visited Saudi Arabia to coordinate activities there. He also planned to assist individuals in Saudi Arabia in traveling to Iran during November ” (p. 240, 9/11 Commission Report) 36

Hizballah and 9/11 Oct 2000-Feb 2001: Saudi hijackers flew between Beirut, Iran, Saudi Arabia “In November [2000], Ahmed al Ghamdi apparently flew to Beirut, traveling .on the same flight as a senior Hezbollah operative.” That ‘Hezbollah operative’ was Imad Mughniyeh (p. 240, 9/11 Commission Report) 37

Havlish Case Hizballah already has hit us in the homeland – on Iranian orders, in coordination with AQ Judge George Daniels, Southern District NY, ruled 22 December 2011 that Iran & Hizballah were jointly responsible with AQ for 9/11 attacks http://iran911case.com/ 38

But All the Focus is on Al-Qa’eda USG never held Iran or Hizballah responsible for 9/11 Result is contempt for US leadership Iranian regime, Hizballah believe themselves immune from US retaliation for anything 39

New Threats to the Homeland June 2013: new videotaped warning, “A letter to the American people” "Everyday you will be hit by the unexpected and your leaders will not be able to defend you.“ “Carry out your obligations, defend your religion” AQAP military commander Qassim alRimi warned American people of coming attacks 40

Iran, Hizballah, Al-Qa’eda: Attacks May Be Imminent From Reza Kahlili – former IRGC, CIA agent and operative WND EXCLUSIVE TERRORIST SUPER-AXIS TO STRIKE WITHIN U.S. Imminent attacks planned by al-Qaida, Quds Forces, Hezbollah Target is U.S. – but Via Rail plot, Iran/Hizballah operations in Canada make clear not just the U.S. Canada in the cross-hairs too 41

Possible Trigger Events US strikes al-Assad regime in Syria or Iran/HZB seek diversion, warning Israel and/or U.S. strike Iran’s nuclear weapons facilities Iran orders retaliation for Mughniyeh killing

Questions? Clare M. Lopez, B.A., M.A. Senior Fellow, Center For Security Policy www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org 43

The Nature of the Threat Hizballah threat magnified because it operates as terror proxy for Iran Uptick in EU, Canada, US operations from 2008 on Iranian regime orders Hizballah will obey Tehran even when not in its own best interests 44

Iran-Hizballah Relationship We view the Iranian regime as the vanguard and new nucleus of the leading Islamic State in the world. We abide by the orders of one single wise and just leadership, represented by “Wali Faqih” and personified by Khomeini Whoever offends the Muslims, offends in fact the body of our Umma, and we shall therefore endeavor to stand up against this threat, guided by a legitimate ruling and an allembracing political doctrine determined by the leader i.e., Wilayat al-Faqih. - Excerpt from Hezbollah’s political platform, February 1985 45

The Hizballah Threat U.S. Foreign Terrorist Organizations List Responsible for most U.S. terror deaths before 9/11 Designated by major allies too Terror proxy for Iranian regime Jihadist ideology US Marine Barracks, Beirut (1983) 46

Hizballah Takes Orders from Iran Hizballah grew out of southern Lebanese Shi’ites – of the people But: armed, funded, trained & commanded by Iranian regime through IRGC-Pasdaran, MOIS Hizballah will act against the U.S. homeland when and in whatever way Iran orders 47

Threat Collaboration Hizballah works with Al-Qa’eda, Iran, KGB, North Koreans, narcotraffickers, organized crime, Syria Explosives R & D, training, money laundering, tunneling, weapons smuggling, forged docs, info ops 48

Hizballah Pre-AQ Alliance Rap Sheet 1983: US Embassy bombing in Beirut (63 killed) 1983: US Marine barracks bombing (241 killed) 1984: US Embassy Annex bombing (24 killed) 1985: TWA flight 847 hijacking (Stetham killed) 1985: kidnapping, torture, murder of CIA Beirut station chief William Buckley 1988: kidnapping, torture, murder of Chief, Lebanon Observer Group Col. William Higgins 1992: Truck suicide bombing Israeli Embassy, Buenos Aires (29 killed, 250 injured) 1994: Truck suicide bombing Jewish AMIA cultural center, Buenos Aires (87 killed, 100 injured) 49

Trail of Blood &Terror: Joint AQ-Hizballah-Iran Terror Ops 1995: Riyadh Nat’l. Guard 1996: Khobar Towers 1998: US East Africa Embassies 2000: USS Cole, Yemen Sep 2001: Ahmed Shah Massoud Assassination 2001: 9/11 Attacks 2002-2006: Abu Musab al-Zarqawi operations in Iraq, Jordan, Europe 2003-present: Iran/Hizballah training for Iraqi terror militias 2002: Djerba Synagogue, Tunisia 2003: Riyadh 2003: Casablanca 2003: Istanbul 2004: Madrid Train Attack Sep 2008: U.S. Embassy Bombing, Sana’a, Yemen 50

Hizballah Structure, Organization, and Leadership Hizballah operates with a tightly organized command structure Top-down military-style command and control Iranian Supreme Leader at the top Hierarchical Lebanese leadership 51

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Hassan Nasrallah “The Man Who Never Lies” Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah is 4th Secretary General of Hizballah Chain of Command to Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Khamenei 54

Hizballah Deputy Naim Qassem Cleric & politician rose out of the Amal movement Loyal to Iranian, Russian support for Syria’s Bashar al-Assad Naim Qassem called for end to Sunni-Shi’ite rifts – May 2013 55

Profile in Intelligence & Terror: Imad Mughniyah Imad Mugnieh was Hizballah’s, Iran’s most effective terror operative Feb 08: assassinated in Damascus 9/11 Commission implicated Iran in attacks in part because of Mughniyah’s involvement Headed Iran’s terror ops worldwide for 30 yrs. 56

Palestinian Thug Turns Hizballah Hit Man Killed in Damascus Feb 2008 Imad Mughniyeh aka Hajji Radwan rose to top spot in Hizballah terror ops Led Hizballah’s Islamic Jihad Organization 57

Special Research Apparatus Mughniyah set up Hizballah “Special Research Apparatus” apart from rest of organization 200-400 crack forces trained by Iranian intelligence Mission: “quality operations” impenetrable to Israeli intelligence Nasrallah & Khamenei After Mughniyeh assassination, Nasrallah promised “global war” 58

Islamic Terrorist Meets His End Mughniyeh’s Car – Damascus, February 2008 59

Hizballah Revenge Will Come 12 Feb 08 assassination of Imad Mughniyeh will trigger eventual revenge attack(s) vs Israeli target(s), maybe U.S. too 1992, 1994 Buenos Aires attacks: revenge for Feb 1992 killing of Abbas alMusawi, former Hizballah Secretary General 60

Mughniyeh’s Successor Moustafa Amin Bader El-Din (b. 1961), is cousin/brother-in-law & replacement for Imad Mughniyeh Close to Nasrallah, among group’s founders, rose through the ranks Close relationship with IRGC

Moustafa Amin Bader El-Din External Security Organization commander – Unit 910 Senior Hizballah decision-maker esp. on global terror ops UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon named Bader el-Din senior defendant in PM Rafiq Hariri’s 2005 assassination

Chain of Command for External Attacks Hassan Nasrallah, Hizballah Leader Mustafa Badr alDin, Head of External Operations Networks Talal Hamiya, Head of Overseas Operations Unit Terrorist Operatives in Lebanon &Target Countries Abroad 63

Iran & Hizballah Share Objectives Iran & Hizballah share objectives because they share ideology, world view: Islamic supremacism, revolution, Jewhatred 64

Hizballah Goal for Lebanon We are incapable at the present time of installing the rule of Islam, but this does not mean postponing our ideology and project We must work hard to achieve our goal, and the most important means of doing so is to transform Lebanon into a society of war.” - 1985 Open Letter 2009 Manifesto did not renounce this goal but accepted it would take time 65

Hizballah’s Lebanese Political Base Hizballah dominates Lebanese politics w/presence in parliament, veto-proof Cabinet Dominates both Lebanon’s domestic, foreign policy in sync w/Iran, Syria Military machine is far superior to Lebanon’s own national army 66

‘A government without Hizballah will never be formed.’ - Hizballah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah, July 2013 67

Dominance Secured by Force Islamic state in Lebanon required Sunnis be marginalized Feb 2005 car bomb killed popular PM Rafiq Hariri Jun 11: UN Special Tribunal indicted 4 Hizballah suspects 68

Military Domination Hizballah fields strongest, besttrained, best-equipped military in Lebanon – thanks to Iran Independent communications infrastructure linked directly to IRGC/Qods Force, Tehran by fiber optic network 17 Feb 13: Qods Force Gen. Hassan Shateri killed on Israel/Syria border 69

UNIFIL ‘Arrangement’ w/Hizballah European UNIFIL forces signed ‘protection agreements’ w/Hizballah Agreed turn blind eye to Hizballah weapons, massive re-armament post2006, use of civilian structures (homes) as military installations 70

UNIFIL as Hizballah Hostages July 2013: EU designated Hizballah ‘military wing’ to terrorist list Earlier fear for UNIFIL troop safety acted as constraint EU policy still hostage to Hizballah in refusal to designate Hizballah as a whole 71

Hizballah’s Media Empire Cutting edge tech for media empire Telephone, TV, radio, press, satellite communication throughout Lebanon Advanced, sophisticated cyber capability for internal use, external indoctrination, propaganda 72

Hizballah Social Jihad Massive social welfare, recruiting, training programs for youth Highly-organized system of charity, non-profit groups 73

Hizballah’s Service Sector Executive Council Social Unit Jihad Construction Foundation Islamic Health Unit Clinics, hospitals, dental clinics, social health programs Education Unit Financial aid, scholarships, operates numerous schools, every level Martyrs Foundation Foundation for the Wounded Khomeini Support Committee Source: http://www.mepc.org/journal/middleeast-policy-archives/hezbollahs-socialjihad-nonprofits-resistanceorganizations?print 74

Global Spread of Hizballah Hizballah has presence all over the world: operatives expert at blending into societies North, Central, South America West Africa: Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone Europe 75

Iran, Hizballah in West Africa June 2013: Nigerian police discovered Hizballah heavy weapons cache in northern Kano state Targets: Israeli, Western facilities Boko Haram link being investigated Boko Haram linked to AQIM & alShabaab 76

Hizballah in Europe Hizballah cells, networks across EU since 1980s 2001-2008, mission was mostly fundraising, casing/surveillance, influence ops/propaganda, recruitment European intelligence kept a wary eye while academic, media, political elites pretended they didn’t exist 77

Operations Surge With 2008 Mughniyeh assassination, Hizballah tried to gear up for revenge Attack plots in Azerbaijan, Egypt, Turkey all were foiled Loss of Mughniyeh keenly felt Terror capabilities had slipped 78

Orders From Iran By 2010, Iran tasked Hizballah to retaliate for “War in the Shadows” w/Israel over its nuclear weapons program Hizballah overhauled its terror strike force: new recruits, intel, ops training Target: Israel & Jews worldwide 79

Hizballah Resurgence 2008, Egypt: Plot vs Israeli tourists stopped, Hizballah network exposed Feb 12, Bangkok: Attack vs Israeli diplomats prevented Feb 12, Tbilisi: Israeli embassy staffer found bomb under car Feb 12, New Delhi: Israeli diplomat’s wife injured by magnet bomb on car 2012, Baku: 2 Lebanese HZB arrested for plot vs Israeli embassy Bulgaria – 2012: Bus bombing vs Israeli tourists killed 7 Cyprus – 2013: HZB terror trial 80

A Division of Labor Qods Force: hard targets, Israeli & Saudi diplomats Hizballah: soft targets, Israeli tourists 81

The Cyprus Case Hossam Yaacoub, dual Lebanese/Swedish citizen recruited by Hizballah in 2007 Arrested early 2012, tried early 2013 for pre-attack casing/surveillance Israeli tourists on Cyprus Admitted Hizballah affiliation, tasking, & sentenced 4 yrs. prison 82

Hizballah’s Tradecraft Revamp Yaacoub’s classic clandestine intelligence training lasted 4-5 years Cover stories, resistance to interrogation, ops security, surveillance, weapons training, constant testing Also inculcated w/Hizballah ideology 83

Burgas, Bulgaria Attack July 2012: attack on Israeli tour bus killed 5 Israelis, Bulgarian bus driver El Hajj Hassan, Melad Farah: two surviving terror squad members added to FBI Most Wanted Terrorists List Hiding out in Lebanon 84

EU Hizballah Designation July 2013: EU formally designated Hizballah ‘military wing’ to terrorist list July 2012: Burgas busbombing tipped the issue Cyprus, other attack plots convinced EU Hizballah has entered new phase Europe no longer “off limits” 85

What ‘military wing’ ? Hizballah Deputy SecGen Naim Qassem: ‘We do not have a military arm and another [arm] that is political’ 86

Iran a Direct Threat Jan 2012: DNI Clapper told SSCI Iran a direct threat to U.S. homeland Western Hemisphere activity Intel Ops including cyber warfare Ballistic missiles 87

Iran’s Objectives in the West Influence Western governments, international bodies to benefit of the Tehran regime Buy time for nuclear weapons program End tough economic sanctions, isolation Increase sphere of geo-political influence Confront Israel, US via terror proxies Pursue leadership of international Jihad 88

Tehran’s Objectives in U.S. Avoid harsh, coercive measures—or attack Remove sanctions, unfreeze assets (Iran Sanctions Act of 2008) Remove terror designations (IRGC, banks) Gain recognition, status for regime without offering any concessions 89

Iran’s MO in Western Hemisphere Build diplomatic alliances with LA regimes forge economic, military ties Establish intelligence, military, terror outposts for IRGC, Qods Force, MOIS, HAMAS, HZB Create alliances, working relationships with gangs, narcotraffickers, organized crime & terror groups (AQ, Hizballah) 90

Our National Policy The Prize Tehran regime influence ops vs West since 1979 Revolution Supreme Council for Iranians Living Abroad formed 2000 Headed by Iranian President Includes Minister of Culture & Islamic Guidance, Minister of Intelligence 91

Questions? Clare M. Lopez, B.A., M.A. Senior Fellow, Center For Security Policy www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org 92