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US offers $10 million for information on Hezbollah financing

  • April 22, 2019

The United States on Monday offered a reward of up to $10 million (€8.9 million) for information that would allow the US to disrupt the finances of Lebanon’s Shiite militant movement Hezbollah.

The State Department said it would give money to anyone who could provide intelligence that allows the United States to disrupt Hezbollah in key ways, including information on Hezbollah’s donors, on financial institutions that assist its transactions and on businesses controlled by the movement.

Read more: Lebanon’s missing: Will there ever be closure?

The State Department listed three alleged Hezbollah financiers as examples of the activities they are hoping to stop.

Adham Tabaja is allegedly a Hezbollah member who has direct ties to senior Hezbollah organizational elements, including the terrorist group’s operational component, Islamic Jihad. Tabaja also holds properties in Lebanon on behalf of the group.

Ali Youssef Charara allegedly received millions of dollars from Hezbollah to invest in commercial projects that financially support the terrorist group, and Mohammad Ibrahim Bazzi allegedly provided millions of dollars to Hezbollah generated from his business activities.

  • Libanon Beirut Sheik Hassan Nasrallah (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Rise of Hezbollah

    Hezbollah, or Party of God, was conceived by Muslim clerics in the 1980s in response to the Israeli invasion of South Lebanon in 1982. The Shiite group has a political and military wing.

  • Libanon Hisbollah Kämpfer (picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Zaatari)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    National support against Israel

    Hezbollah emerged in the 1980s as an amalgamation of Shiite militias and played a major role in the Lebanese civil war. It used guerrilla warfare to drive Israeli forces out of South Lebanon — Israel withdrew in 2000. Israel and Hezbollah fought another war in 2006. Its defense of Lebanon against Israel had won it cross-sectarian support and acceptance in Lebanese society.

  • Syrien Hezbollah und syrische Flaggen in Qalamoun (Reuters/O. Sanadiki)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Backed by Iran

    Since its creation, Hezbollah has received military, financial and political support from Iran and Syria. Today, Hezbollah’s military wing is more powerful than Lebanon’s own army and has become a major regional paramilitary force.

  • Hassan Nassrallah (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Political apparatus

    Hezbollah turned its focus to politics following the end of Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war. It represents a large section of the Lebanese Shiite population and is allied with other sectarian groups, including Christians. Their political development has mostly come under Hassan Nasrallah (pictured), who became the group’s leader in 1992.

  • Libanon 15. Jahrestag Abzug Israel Hisbollah Kämpfer Waffen (picture-alliance/AA)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Armed wing

    Unlike other parties in Lebanon’s multi-sided 1975-1990 civil war, Hezbollah did not disband its armed wing. Some Lebanese political groups, such as Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Future Movement, want Hezbollah to put down its arms. Hezbollah argues its militant wing is necessary to defend against Israel and other external threats.

  • Syrien Schiitische Gruppen (picture-alliance/Pacific Press/I. Press)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Terror group?

    A number of countries and bodies, including the United States, Israel, Canada and the Arab League, consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. However, Australia and the European Union differentiate between its legitimate political activities and its militant wing.

  • IS Abzug aus dem Libanon Vormarsch der Hisbollah Kämpfer aus Syrien (picture-alliance/AP Photo/Syrian Central Military Media)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Hezbollah enters Syria’s civil war

    Hezbollah has been one of the main backers of Syrian President Bashar Assad in the country’s civil war. Its entrance into the war helped save Assad, one of its chief patrons; secured weapons supply routes from Syria and formed a buffer zone around Lebanon against Sunni militant groups it feared would take over Syria. As a result it has won considerable support from Shiite communities in Lebanon.

  • Syrien Protest (dapd)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Sectarianism

    Lebanon has long been at the center of regional power struggles, particularly between Saudi Arabia and Iran. However, Hezbollah’s military and political ascendancy, as well as its intervention in Syria, have also helped stoke Sunni-Shiite sectarian tensions in Lebanon and across the region.

  • Israel Fahne vor Zaun (Getty Images/C. Furlong)

    Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iran-backed paramilitary organization

    Renewed conflict with Israel?

    Iran and Hezbollah have increased their political and military strength through the war in Syria. Israel views this as a threat and has carried out dozens of airstrikes on Iran/Hezbollah targets in Syria. Israel has vowed to not let Iran and Hezbollah create a permanent presence in Syria. There is growing concern of another war between Hezbollah and Israel that could draw in Iran.

    Author: Chase Winter


US sees donations plea as success

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has pointed to a recent appeal by Hezbollah for donations as a sign that the US has been successful in curbing Iran.

On a visit last month to Beirut, Pompeo urged Lebanon to counter the “dark ambitions” of Iran and Hezbollah.

This line was rebuffed by Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil who said Hezbollah was not a terrorist group and enjoyed a wide base.

The US has vowed for decades to fight Shiite militants in Lebanon, with a 1983 attack on a military barracks in Beirut that killed 241 Americans still in distant memory.

But Hezbollah also functions as a political party, with posts in the current cabinet, and enjoys support among some Lebanese who remember its guerrilla campaign that led Israel to withdraw from the country in 2000.

Since the Rewards for Justice program began in 1984 it has paid more than $150 million to more than 100 people who have provided information about terrorists or prevented terrorism attacks.

law/aw (AFP, AP, Reuters)

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW’s editors send out a selection of the day’s hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.

Article source: https://www.dw.com/en/us-offers-10-million-for-information-on-hezbollah-financing/a-48437819?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

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