US charges alleged Hezbollah member over 1994 Buenos Aires bombing
Al JazeeraDec 22, 2023
Argentine Police Arrest Three Foreigners in Alleged Terrorist Plot
Image copyright: Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images News via Getty Images (Oct. 22, 2023)
The Facts
Argentina's Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said on Wednesday that three foreign men believed to be of Syrian and Lebanese origin but whose identities and nationalities have yet to be confirmed were arrested on Saturday for allegedly planning a terrorist act as the South American country hosts the Pan-American Maccabiah Games.
The trio, linked to the shipment of a 35-kilo package from Yemen, was detained in three separate raids — two of them in Buenos Aires and another in Avellaneda — carried out under the orders of Judge María Servini. One of the detainees had a Colombian and a Venezuelan passport in his name.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Anti-Jewish terrorism in Argentina has erupted periodically for decades — prompting the US and its Latin American allies to form tighter intelligence and counterterrorism cooperation. As the West has shifted much of its focus toward Russia and China, it cannot forget about the rebound of Islamic terrorism spreading from the Middle East to South America. Washington must bolster its partnerships with countries including Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay if they want to stop more terrorist acts from occurring.
Establishment-critical narrative
While there may be planned terrorist plots in Western countries today, it's also important to understand Israel's history, from decades ago to 9/11 to today's conflict in Gaza, of meddling in the region to garner global support. Israel has propped up dictators in places such as Argentina and Chile to grow its global arms trade in the West and agenda in the Middle East. To top it all off, Israel has been protected by the US as the two superpowers work in tandem to expand their so-called 'war on terror.'