Radical Islam in Latin Radical Islam in Latin AmericaAmerica

Dan MurdoughDan Murdough

PSC 336PSC 336

29 NOV 0729 NOV 07

OverviewOverview Muslim Demographics in Latin American countriesMuslim Demographics in Latin American countries Islam’s Footprint in Latin AmericaIslam’s Footprint in Latin America March 1992: Bombing of Israeli EmbassyMarch 1992: Bombing of Israeli Embassy in Buenos Airesin Buenos Aires July 1994: Attack against the Argentine-Israeli July 1994: Attack against the Argentine-Israeli

Mutual Association in Buenos AiresMutual Association in Buenos Aires Tri-Border Activity: Argentina, Paraguay, BrazilTri-Border Activity: Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil Margarita IslandMargarita Island What outside sources are responsible for this What outside sources are responsible for this

activity in Latin America?activity in Latin America?

Muslim Demographics in Latin Muslim Demographics in Latin AmericaAmerica

Latin America Latin America Pop:500 MillionPop:500 Million

Muslims~ Six Muslims~ Six MillionMillion

Most active Most active countries:countries:

Brazil:1.5 Million Brazil:1.5 Million (1%)(1%)

Argentina:700,000 Argentina:700,000 (2%)(2%)

Islam’s Footprint in Latin AmericaIslam’s Footprint in Latin America

Islamic influence in Latin America has grown Islamic influence in Latin America has grown significantly since the end of the 20significantly since the end of the 20thth Century Century

1989: Argentina’s President Carlos Manem was 1989: Argentina’s President Carlos Manem was originally Muslim before converting to Catholicismoriginally Muslim before converting to Catholicism

Large Amounts of Syrian and Lebanese Large Amounts of Syrian and Lebanese immigrants in the regionimmigrants in the region

Islamic Organization of Latin America (IOLA) Islamic Organization of Latin America (IOLA) based in Buenos Airesbased in Buenos Aires

King Fahd Cultural Center in Buenos AiresKing Fahd Cultural Center in Buenos Aires IOLA sends thousands of Latin American Muslims IOLA sends thousands of Latin American Muslims

to the Hajj every yearto the Hajj every year

March 1992: Bombing of Israeli EmbassyMarch 1992: Bombing of Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires

Carried out by ‘Islamic Carried out by ‘Islamic Jihad’ a sect of HezbollahJihad’ a sect of Hezbollah

Terrorist drove a pick up Terrorist drove a pick up truck filled with explosives truck filled with explosives into the embassyinto the embassy

Killed 29, injured 242, most Killed 29, injured 242, most were Argentine Civilianswere Argentine Civilians

At the time it was At the time it was Argentina’s worst act of Argentina’s worst act of terrorterror

Worst attack on Israeli Worst attack on Israeli diplomacy outside of Israeldiplomacy outside of Israel

July 1994: Attack against the Argentine-July 1994: Attack against the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association in Buenos AiresIsraeli Mutual Association in Buenos Aires

Worst act of terror in Worst act of terror in Argentina’s historyArgentina’s history

Killed 85, injured over 300Killed 85, injured over 300 Van filled with ammonium Van filled with ammonium

nitrate explosives drove nitrate explosives drove through the front gates of the through the front gates of the AIMA buildingAIMA building

Hezbollah is believed to be Hezbollah is believed to be responsible under directives responsible under directives from Iranfrom Iran

In Lebanon a group called In Lebanon a group called Ansar Allah claimed Ansar Allah claimed responsibility for the attackresponsibility for the attack

Case has been plagued by Case has been plagued by corruption and lack of a corruption and lack of a proper investigation including proper investigation including cover upscover ups

Tri-Border Activity: Argentina, Tri-Border Activity: Argentina, Paraguay, BrazilParaguay, Brazil

Seen as a haven for Seen as a haven for terrorist activityterrorist activity

Almost all terrorist activity Almost all terrorist activity that has taken place in that has taken place in South America went South America went through herethrough here

Groups: Al-Qaeda, Groups: Al-Qaeda, Hezbollah, Islamic JihadHezbollah, Islamic Jihad

This area is believed to be This area is believed to be funding terrorist funding terrorist organizationsorganizations

Paraguay is especially Paraguay is especially dangerous as it has no dangerous as it has no particular laws on terrorist particular laws on terrorist groups or funding terror groups or funding terror

Tri-Border Activity (cont’d)Tri-Border Activity (cont’d) March 22-23, 2000: March 22-23, 2000: A former Iranian intelligence officer testifies at the Argentine A former Iranian intelligence officer testifies at the Argentine

Embassy in Mexico and accuses former Argentine president, Carlos Menem, of accepting Embassy in Mexico and accuses former Argentine president, Carlos Menem, of accepting a bribe of $10 million to conceal Iran’s implications in the AMIA bombing in 1994.a bribe of $10 million to conceal Iran’s implications in the AMIA bombing in 1994.

April 2001: April 2001: CIA says that al-Qaeda allegedly plans two attacks against U.S. embassies CIA says that al-Qaeda allegedly plans two attacks against U.S. embassies in Quito, Ecuador, and Montevideo, Uruguay. The attacks have not taken place to date.in Quito, Ecuador, and Montevideo, Uruguay. The attacks have not taken place to date.

September 19-20: September 19-20: Former Brazilian drug czar Walter Maierovitch alleges that Osama Former Brazilian drug czar Walter Maierovitch alleges that Osama bin Laden is setting up an al-Qaeda cell in the tri-border region.bin Laden is setting up an al-Qaeda cell in the tri-border region.

April 18,April 18, 2002: 2002: Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage speaks to the House Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage speaks to the House Appropriations Foreign Operations Subcommittee stating that the U.S. government Appropriations Foreign Operations Subcommittee stating that the U.S. government suspects that al-Qaeda and Hezbollah are operating near Ecuador’s borders with suspects that al-Qaeda and Hezbollah are operating near Ecuador’s borders with Colombia and Peru.Colombia and Peru.

May 21,May 21, 2002: 2002: The U.S. Department of State annual report on terrorism indicates that The U.S. Department of State annual report on terrorism indicates that intelligence and security organizations have not detected the presence of al-Qai’da, but intelligence and security organizations have not detected the presence of al-Qai’da, but have found groups linked to Hizballah and the Hamas in the tri-border area.have found groups linked to Hizballah and the Hamas in the tri-border area.

May 24,May 24, 2002: 2002: Cairo’s Cairo’s Al-QanatAl-Qanat newspaper alleges that the U.S. Army has formed a newspaper alleges that the U.S. Army has formed a special commando unit to attack Hezbollah facilities in the region.special commando unit to attack Hezbollah facilities in the region.

Late 2001-2002: Late 2001-2002: Using information uncovered in Afghanistan, U.S. intelligence Using information uncovered in Afghanistan, U.S. intelligence identifies a group of Middle Eastern men in South America suspected of having ties to identifies a group of Middle Eastern men in South America suspected of having ties to Osama bin Laden.Osama bin Laden.

Margarita IslandMargarita Island No Jimmy BuffetNo Jimmy Buffet Has a big Arab and Muslim Has a big Arab and Muslim

communitycommunity Has been cited by the U.S Has been cited by the U.S

State Department as a State Department as a possible terrorist basepossible terrorist base

It is a free trade zone so It is a free trade zone so flow of money can happen flow of money can happen very easilyvery easily

Could be facilitating illegal Could be facilitating illegal drug/weapon salesdrug/weapon sales

Has received a lot of Has received a lot of attention in Washington attention in Washington because of the tension because of the tension between Bush and Chavezbetween Bush and Chavez

Radical Islam in Latin AmericaRadical Islam in Latin America A lot of investigations recently A lot of investigations recently

have cited Iran as a major have cited Iran as a major contributorcontributor

Argentina’s Jewish pop: Argentina’s Jewish pop: 200’000 and also has a strong 200’000 and also has a strong relationship with Israelrelationship with Israel

This has made it a target for This has made it a target for major terrorist actsmajor terrorist acts

Hezbollah seen as a big Hezbollah seen as a big contributor under Iran’s contributor under Iran’s directivedirective

Al-Qaeda has been seen as Al-Qaeda has been seen as secondary to Hezbollah’s secondary to Hezbollah’s presencepresence

Paraguay’s lawlessness Paraguay’s lawlessness toward terrorism could prove toward terrorism could prove to be a major problem in the to be a major problem in the futurefuture

ReferencesReferences Radical Islam in Latin AmericaRadical Islam in Latin Americahttp://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleidhttp://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2369844=2369844 Understanding Islam and Its’ Impact on Latin AmericaUnderstanding Islam and Its’ Impact on Latin America https://research.maxwell.af.mil/papers/ay2004/affellows/Cohttps://research.maxwell.af.mil/papers/ay2004/affellows/Co

nnell.pdfnnell.pdf Latin America: Terrorism IssuesLatin America: Terrorism Issues http://leahy.senate.gov/issues/foreign%20policy/PDFS/Latinhttp://leahy.senate.gov/issues/foreign%20policy/PDFS/Latin

AmericaTerrorism.pdfAmericaTerrorism.pdf Islamist Terrorist Threat in the Tri-Border RegionIslamist Terrorist Threat in the Tri-Border Region http://www.nti.org/e_research/e3_16a.htmlhttp://www.nti.org/e_research/e3_16a.html CNN.com: CNN.com: South America's 'tri-border' back on South America's 'tri-border' back on

terrorism radar November 8, 2002terrorism radar November 8, 2002 http://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/11/07/terrorhttp://archives.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/americas/11/07/terror

.triborder/.triborder/

Questions?Questions?