Iran’s American Networks
from FrontPage Magazine » FrontPage by Ryan Mauro
The Iranian regime has extended its tentacles into the American homeland, covertly acquiring weapons technology, sources of funding and building terrorism-supporting networks. This gives Iran the ability to bring any war home to the U.S. if the regime decides its time to attack the “Great Satan” on its own shores.
Last month, three were arrested in Texas for using their Portland-based charity to transfer $1.8 million to the Iranian government with the help of Hezbollah. Donors had been led to believe that their money would help enroll children in schools in Afghanistan, Indonesia and Iran. In June, a couple was arrested in Ohio after they were recorded telling an FBI informant of their plan to finance Hezbollah with up to half a million dollars. One of the suspects even traveled to Lebanon to advance the plot.
Iran and Hezbollah also have a significant number of supporters in the U.S. In September, dozens of demonstrators celebrated “Al-Quds Day” in Washington D.C, some while hoisting Hezbollah flags. One of the speakers was Imam Abolfazl Bahram Nahidian from Manassas, V.A. who has long been tied to the Iranian regime. He proclaimed that 9/11 was “not done by Muslims” and was a “plot of the Zionists” to “occupy the land of the Muslims.” From 2004 to 2005, Imam Nahidian’s mosque received $200,000 from the Alavi Foundation that has had its assets frozen by the Treasury Department for acting as a front for Iran. Another speaker, Kaukab Siddiqi, said Muslims must work to “dismantle Israel if possible by peaceful means.”
Last year’s “Al-Quds Day” also saluted Hezbollah and was managed by Faheem Darab, a member of Fairfax County’s Department of Planning and Zoning. Speakers openly called for the “destruction, the annihilation, and the utter dismemberment of the State of Israel” and spoke of “another intifada.” A representative of Viva Palestina openly supported the wing of Hamas responsible for terrorist attacks, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam.
The extent of Hezbollah’s presence in the U.S. is very worrisome. When Steve Emerson, the executive-director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, was asked in 2006 whether Hezbollah or Al-Qaeda posed a greater threat, he said that “Hezbollah has got a greater network, much, much, more elaborate…I would think potentially Hezbollah can wreak a lot more damage if they chose to attack the United States within the continental borders.” His organization says there have been over a dozen cases of individuals in the U.S. materially supporting Hezbollah since 1994.
Hezbollah has even greater capabilities in Europe. German intelligence believes there are about 900 of the group’s members in its country alone. The group has also shown that it is not altogether opposed to carrying out attacks in the West. Hezbollah tried to mark the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Imad Mughniyeh by attacking an Israeli site in Europe. The plot was foiled but few details have been publicized except that Hezbollah sought to leave minimal fingerprints behind. |
