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Islamist Terror Networks Remain the Top Security Threat to Latin America’s Jewish Communities
People hold up pictures of the victims of the AMIA Jewish center bombing during a ceremony to mark the 22nd anniversary of the 1994 attack in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 18, 2016. Photo: REUTERS/Enrique Marcarian
On August 16, Argentina’s Federal Police thwarted an Islamist terror plot reportedly linked to ISIS and the Taliban to murder Jews in Mendoza — the second such plot uncovered in Argentina this year.
Last November, Brazilian security services unfoiled a similar attack against the country’s Jewish community, which was planned by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Lebanese terror proxy, Hezbollah.
While these plots were exposed in time to prevent mass murder, they sadly demonstrate that the Jewish communities in Latin America remain the target of both Sunni and Shiite Islamist terrorist networks that, until recently, appear to have operated with impunity.
Last month, I joined representatives of Jewish organizations from around the world in Buenos Aires to honor the victims of the 1994 bombing, which targeted the headquarters of the AMIA Jewish community center established in 1894. The attack, which was masterminded by Iran and its terror proxies, killed 85 people and injured more than 300, making it the deadliest antisemitic attack since the Holocaust, until it was tragically overtaken by October 7.
The AMIA attack came two years after a similar attack, in which a Hezbollah suicide bomber drove a pickup truck into the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 23 and wounding 242. I have friends who survived this horrendous attack, and others that lost their loved ones.
Argentina’s Jewish community — the largest in Latin America — has yet to see justice served against the perpetrators of these crimes.
The developments over the last week have provided a grim reminder that Islamist terror networks, whether backed by the Iranian regime or other state and non-state actors, remain one of the top security threats to Latin American countries and especially to their respective Jewish communities.
The targeting of Argentina’s Jewish population, despite the country’s physical, political, and military remoteness from the Middle East, demonstrates once again that Islamists target Jews for being Jews, no matter where they are in the world, and no matter what is happening in the Middle East.
Indeed, in July 1994, the same month as the AMIA attack, Yasser Arafat, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), made a historic return to Gaza after the Palestinian Authority (PA) was granted limited self-rule in Gaza and Jericho — a key step in the unfolding Oslo Accords.
Then, as now, it seems that the prospect of peace inspires the cruelest outbursts of terrorist violence against Jews, no matter who or where we are. After all, as analysts have noted, Hamas reportedly planned and executed the October 7 attacks as a response to the success of the Abraham Accords, and out of the fear that Saudi Arabia might soon become a signatory and peace partner with Israel.
While the most recent plot in Mendoza appears to have come from a terror cell espousing ISIS and Taliban rhetoric, the main source of the threat against Latin American Jews remains the Islamic Republic of Iran and its terror proxy, Hezbollah.
What’s more, it seems that today’s threats stem from the activities of longstanding Hezbollah cells and networks that have since become more established and sophisticated.
For example, Colombian police arrested Mahdy Akil Helbawi earlier this month, in coordination with the FBI. Helbawi is also designated by the US Treasury Department as an operative and financier for Hezbollah. Most notably, however, he is the son of Amer Akil Rada — a Hezbollah operative involved in both the bombings of the AMIA and the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.
Decades after the AMIA atrocity, money is still being funneled to Hezbollah from a range of activities, in Colombia and Venezuela, including drug trafficking.
Hezbollah has a long relationship with South American drug cartels, but they have also expanded into the use of cryptocurrency to more easily launder and transfer their funds. This in turn has helped Hezbollah to adapt and develop the ways in which they target Latin American Jewish communities.
For example, in Brazil, two Hezbollah operatives recruited from local Middle Eastern diaspora communities were able to hire six Brazilian nationals to conduct attacks on Jewish targets in Brasilia. The plot was foiled last November by Brazilian authorities, but demonstrated Hezbollah’s ability to rely on new methods and networks to terrorize Jews and non-Jews alike.
Terrorism is a threat not just to Jews, but to democratic societies all around the globe. It is for this reason that all world leaders who believe in peaceful coexistence must work together to eradicate extremism and fight terrorism.
These efforts should include taking harsher measures against countries that actively promote and support terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic Republic of Iran, and designations and sanctions targeting the entire network of individuals and entities that fund and facilitate terrorism.
In the ceremony of the 30th anniversary of the AMIA, Argentinian President Javier Millei said “Silence supports evil.” Our societies cannot afford another AMIA tragedy, nor another 9/11, nor another October 7, and therefore, silence is not an option.
Marina Rosenberg is Senior Vice President for International Affairs at the Anti-Defamation League, and a former ambassador and diplomat.
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US Reportedly Shares Intelligence with New Syrian Leadership to Counter ISIS Threats
Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, waits to welcome the senior Ukrainian delegation led by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, after the ousting of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, in Damascus, Syria, Dec. 30, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
i24 News – The United States has begun sharing classified intelligence with Syria’s new leadership, led by Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an Islamist group formerly designated as a terrorist organization, reports the Washington Post.
This unexpected collaboration comes in the wake of HTS overthrowing the Assad regime last month and reflects heightened US concerns about a potential resurgence of the Islamic State (ISIS).
According to sources, US intelligence recently helped thwart a planned ISIS attack on a prominent Shiite shrine near Damascus.
Despite this cooperation, US officials stress that the intelligence-sharing arrangement does not signify full support for HTS, which has a controversial history of extremism.
HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known by his militant alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, has made efforts to project a more moderate image, pledging to protect Syria’s religious minorities and stabilize the country.
However, skepticism remains about HTS’s ability to govern effectively and sustain efforts against ISIS.
The Biden administration, before leaving office, maintained HTS’s terrorist designation while easing sanctions on Syria to facilitate humanitarian aid. As the new US administration under President Donald Trump takes shape, questions loom about the future of American involvement in Syria and the ongoing military presence aimed at preventing an ISIS comeback.
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Hostages Missing from Hamas’ Release List
A birthday cake for Kfir Bibas, who is a hostage in Hamas captivity. Thursday, January 18, 2024. (Photo: Debbie Weiss)
i24 News – The second phase of hostage releases between Israel and Hamas has sparked deep frustration and grief among the families of those still held captive.
Two hostages—Arbel Yahud and Agam Berger—were notably excluded from the list of those to be freed on Saturday, despite earlier agreements prioritizing the return of civilians.
Arbel Yahud, 29, and Agam Berger, 20, both captives since the October 7 attack, were not included in the list of four hostages expected to be released.
Yahud, from Kibbutz Nir Oz, was taken along with her partner, Ariel Cunio, whose family was freed in November. Yahud’s brother, Dolev, was later found dead in June after he was killed while trying to aid the wounded. Agam Berger, from Holon, was captured while stationed at Nahal Oz. Her family identified her in a video released by Hamas, showing her in pajamas being taken away in a vehicle after she called her father to alert him of the gunfire.
The omission of these two hostages has led to heightened concerns and calls for action from Israeli authorities, who are now exerting pressure on Hamas and mediators to honor the terms of the release agreement. Israeli officials reaffirmed their commitment to continue with the broader agreement, but warned that the failure to meet the agreed terms could harm future releases.
Adding to the grief, the Bibas family expressed their devastation when they learned that Shiri Bibas and her children, who were abducted from their Nir Oz home on October 7, were also absent from the second release list. In a heartfelt message shared on Saturday, the Bibas family shared their anguish: “Even though we were prepared for it, we were hoping to see Shiri and the children on the list that was supposed to be the civilian list.” The family voiced concerns over their loved one’s safety and questioned why, despite grave fears for their lives, their relatives were not included among the civilians due to be returned.
The Bibas family’s message emphasized their belief that the public must continue to demand answers, adding, “Thank you, dear supporters, for not giving up, for continuing to pray, to hope and to demand answers.
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Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity
A combination picture shows Israeli hostages Karina Ariev, Naama Levy, Liri Albag, and Daniela Gilboa, soldiers who were seized from their army base in southern Israel during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, in these undated handout pictures. Photo: Courtesy of Bring Them Home Now/Handout via REUTERS
i24 News – After 477 harrowing days in captivity, four young Israeli women—Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa—have finally returned home.
The release took place Saturday morning in Gaza’s Palestine Square, under a carefully staged scene orchestrated by Hamas.
The four women, who served in a military observation unit in Nahal Oz, were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Before their release, they were made to wear uniforms provided by Hamas and were paraded on a platform in front of a crowd of activists. Forced to smile and wave, the women endured the ordeal under the watchful eyes of Hamas fighters.
Once the formalities concluded, the women walked to waiting ICRC vehicles, accompanied by representatives of the organization. Upon reaching Israeli forces, IDF medical teams immediately conducted examinations. At the meeting point, the first female officers who greeted them informed the women that their families were watching live. Overcome with emotion, the former hostages smiled at the cameras, sending heartfelt gestures to their loved ones.
Footage later released by the IDF captured a poignant moment: the four women removing the uniforms given to them by Hamas and embracing Israeli officers. These emotional scenes underscored the end of a long and grueling chapter in their lives.
The women were transported to the Reim reception center, where their families eagerly awaited them. After 477 days of separation, the reunions were deeply moving, marking a moment of relief and joy.
However, the release was not without complications. A fifth military observer, Agam Berger, remains in captivity, and Hamas failed to uphold its agreement to release civilian hostage Arbel Yahud, who was originally included in the liberation group. The breach of terms has drawn widespread condemnation, intensifying efforts to secure the release of those who remain captive.
This momentous event brings a mix of celebration and determination, as Israel continues to work tirelessly for the freedom of all hostages still held in Gaza.
The post Liri Albag, Karina Ariev, Naama Levi, and Daniela Gilboa Return to Israel After 477 Days of Captivity first appeared on Algemeiner.com.