Risky Business in South America

Earlier this month, the U.S. Treasury Department designated Hezbollah operative Amer Mohamed Akil Rada for coordinating the activities of various commercial enterprises for Hezbollah, including charcoal exports from Colombia to Lebanon. Rada previously helped case targets for Hezbollah around South America and was a member of the Hezbollah operational squad that carried out the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center in Buenos Aires. Here’s the backstory on Rada, recorded prior to the Treasury designation, and more on Hezbollah’s use of front companies to hide its criminal and terrorist activities in the Western Hemisphere. Guests:Armando Cortez, Director of the Anti-Terrorist Unit within the Argentinian Attorney General’s Office and team leader of the 1994 AMIA Jewish community center bombing investigation. Aurora Ortega, U.S. government professional and Ph.D. candidate at George Mason University. Breaking Hezbollah’s Golden Rule is hosted by Dr. Matthew Levitt from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. It is produced by Anouk Millet from Earshot Strategies, and written by Dr. Levitt, Lauren von Thaden, and Camille Jablonski, research assistants at The Washington Institute. Explore my map and timeline of Hezbollah’s Worldwide activities. For a full transcript of the episode, a list of sources, recommended reading, and information on our guests, visit our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.