Brazil says triple border area under constant vigilance [Arabs, Mafia, Terrorism, latin America]

Brazil says triple border area under constant vigilance [Arabs, Mafia, Terrorism, latin America]
03,08,07

Brazil says triple border area under constant vigilance

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/02/08/america/LA-GEN-Brazil-US-Triple-Border.php

The Associated PressPublished: February 8, 2007

BRASILIA, Brazil: Brazil's top law enforcement official Thursday assured his American counterpart that Brazil is taking action to prevent terrorist groups from gaining a foothold in South America's so-called Triple Border.

Measures to combat terrorism, drug trafficking and money laundering were among the top issues discussed by Justice Minister Marcio Thomaz Bastos and U.S. Attorney Alberto Gonzales in Brazil's capital.

The Triple Border, a porous region where Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina converge, is home to more than 20,000 Arabs — mostly Lebanese Muslims — as well as drug and arms traffickers, smugglers and counterfeiters. It has also been described by the U.S. State Department as a focal point for Islamic extremism in Latin America.

The U.S. government contends that radical Islamic groups including Hezbollah and Hamas receive funds from the Triple Border area.

It has described the area as "South America's busiest contraband and smuggling center, where billions of dollars annually are generated from arms trafficking, drug smuggling, counterfeiting, intellectual property-rights violations, and other crimes."

In December, the Bush administration took action aimed at choking off what is said was a major fundraising channel for Hezbollah operating in the tri-border area.

Tags: Associated Press, Palestinians, Brazil Brazil Paraguay Arabs BrazilSouth AmericaLatin America Islamic Jihad Terrorism Muslims Mafia Drug trafficking Hezbollah Hamas Blood Money