Current Affairs - Argentina

ARGENTINA NABS IRANIAN-HIZBALLAH CELL, ABORTS THIRD HABAD ATTACK
Via DEBKAfile Sat. 28 Jan 2012


ARGENTINA has captured a three-man IRANIAN-HIZBALLAH cell and is hunting for the rest of the network, according to exclusive DEBKAFILE sources. Its counter-terror police were a step ahead of attacks plotted against several of the 10 HABAD centers in the country, part of a worldwide joint terrorist offensive against ISRAELI and Jewish targets.

The three-man cell was captured in the ARGENTINE resort town of SAN CARLOS DE BARILOCHE, 1,680 kilometers from Buenos Aires, a favorite starting-point for ISRAELI backpackers touring PATAGONIA and the ANDES.
ARGENTINA'S anti-terrorist FEDERAL SPECIAL OPERATIONS GROUP, known as T4, waylaid the three terrorists on tips from US and ISRAELI intelligence. In their possession were incriminating documents and maps.
HABAD hospitality centers and Jewish institutions in the country were then shut down and given extra security guards, as was the ISRAELI embassy in the capital.

In 1992, the embassy was attacked by IRANIAN terrorists killing 29 people and injuring 242. DEBKAFILE'S intelligence and counter-terror sources reveal that one of the things the investigation seeks to discover this time is whether the captured IRANIAN-HIZBALLAH cell was given a safe house, guidance and aid by family members of World War II Nazi criminals who won sanctuary in ARGENTINA.

At the time of the ISRAELI embassy bombing twenty years ago, the IRANIAN and HIZBALLAH terrorists were suspected of working hand in glove with local pro-Nazi elements.  ARGENTINA, GERMANY and ISRAEL never confirmed this.

The terror alert BUENOS AIRES declared this week was also communicated to CHILE, PERU, URUGUAY and MEXICO, in case additional Iranian-Hizballah teams were heading for Israeli and Jewish targets there too.