radical islam in latin america
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Radical Islam in Latin America. Dan Murdough PSC 336 29 NOV 07. Overview. Muslim Demographics in Latin American countries Islam’s Footprint in Latin America March 1992: Bombing of Israeli Embassy in Buenos Aires - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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?