ABC News: Hezbollah sleeper cells in Canada activated, seek Jewish targets
posted at 3:36 pm on June 19, 2008 by Allahpundit
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No surprise. Nasrallah’s been screaming about revenge on Israel since the day after Hezbollah super-jihadi Imad Mughniyeh was assassinated in February. They’ve hit Jewish targets in the west before too, of course, most famously in 1994 with the bombing of the Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people and earned Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani — the heir apparent to Khamenei as supreme leader of Iran — an arrest warrant from the Argentinian government in 2006.
The U.S. isn’t expected to be on the target list. Supposedly, Iran’s afraid Bush might hit back.
Intelligence officials tell ABC News the group has activated suspected “sleeper cells” in Canada and key operatives have been tracked moving outside the group’s Lebanon base to Canada, Europe and Africa…
Suspected Hezbollah operatives have conducted recent surveillance on the Israeli embassy in Ottawa, Canada and on several synagogues in Toronto, according to the officials.
Latin American is also considered a possible target by officials following Hezbollah’s planning…
Officials say the CIA, the NSA, and British and Canadian intelligence agencies began to pick up a steady stream of information - from electronic intercepts, human sources and surveillance - about a possible Hezbollah attack on Feb. 17, just days after the Beirut funeral of Mugniyah where Hezbollah leaders publicly declared they would seek revenge…
[Former CIA intelligence officer Bob] Baer says his Hezbollah contacts told him an attack against the US was unlikely because Iran and Hezbollah did not want to give the Bush administration an excuse to attack.
Baer writes occasionally for Time and makes no secret of his disdain for the Iraq war so bear that in mind if/when the carping about neocon disinformation begins. (He’s also been known to flirt with Trutherism.) Now, question: Why leak this? According to ABC, there’s evidence of four cells — one is even named — backed by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, supposedly corroborated by the CIA, NSA, and British and Canadian intel. A Hezbo weapons expert has, allegedly, even been tracked from Lebanon to Toronto. With the publication of this article the jig is up, but it doesn’t sound like a surreptitious leak: ABC cites a “senior counterterrorism official” as a source and three U.S. law enforcement agencies confirm that they’d been briefed on some of the details. Maybe they’re worried that they’ve lost track of the plotters and are putting this out in desperation, to try to spook them into aborting an attack?
And a second question: Why Canada? That’s actually easy to answer — because Hezbollah’s already there and has been there for years, openly raising funds to send back home to Lebanon for, ahem, “social services” until as recently as 2002. It’s a target of opportunity. But do note the aside about Latin America. If they want to attack Jews somewhere without having to worry about government interference, there’s an obvious choice. So obvious, in fact, that I wonder if Chavez could survive given how complicit he’d appear.
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So, they are targeting appeaser nations?
Interesting.
George Antrobes on June 19, 2008 at 3:41 PM
Hey now… don’t want to tick off da Hockey Players…
The might take ya to the HRC for a HATE CRIME!
Romeo13 on June 19, 2008 at 3:41 PM
When I was in Montreal last year a Hezbollah parade went right through the middle of town. One of the scariest things I’ve ever seen. It was enormous. It went on and on and on and on and on and on. Probably still going on. Very eye opening to see it first hand. I wish had a camera on me at the time. Come to think of it, I don’t remember seeing any news cameras around. Weird.
Zetterson on June 19, 2008 at 3:43 PM
I’m sure Iran will be quaking in their boots if Obambi gets elected.
They might have to sit through a Obambi speech lamenting how poorly we’ve treated Hezbollah, to make them hate us/kill us.
But don’t worry, there’s no difference between McCain and Obambi, so don’t you dainty li’l “conservatives” worry about voting this fall, just stay home, darn your socks or cast your vote for some drooling idiot like Ron Paul, we’ll get ‘em in 2012 or 2016 or 2020 or whenever you dig up Reagan II.
NoDonkey on June 19, 2008 at 3:44 PM
So, they are targeting appeaser nations?
Interesting.
George Antrobes
I see then, so not going to Iraq whilst suffering higher per capita losses in Afghanistan classifies us as appeasers.
Up yours.
Krydor on June 19, 2008 at 3:45 PM
Vote McCain or else!!!!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Zetterson on June 19, 2008 at 3:47 PM
I thought I heard over and over that attacking Iraq and Afghanistan had stirred a hornets nest and made America less safe…
raiderdav on June 19, 2008 at 3:47 PM
But…but….but…there’s a truce. It’s in all the papers, starts today. Truce declared between uh…uh..oh, wait Hamas in Gaza and Israel and this story is about Hezbolla.
Sorry..never mind.
rockhauler on June 19, 2008 at 3:48 PM
Rob Reiner is seeking Jewish targets…I thought he was Jewish. /scratches head
brtex on June 19, 2008 at 3:49 PM
Eh……..maybe they do have wind of something but why Canada? Why bring about that much attention to yourself when you are so close to the dragon? Wasting the asset for a headline seems pretty stupid. They could get the same headline in SA, or Costa Rica and keep the Canadian cell for a rainy day.
Limerick on June 19, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Not at all.
Because the combination of a strong message to the GOP to get tough on immigration and a gutless/inexperienced pacifist quota candidate Obambi in the White House, will protect the country from Iranian proxy strikes.
VOTE REAGAN II 2020
NoDonkey on June 19, 2008 at 3:52 PM
Who’d wanna attack the sprawling college campus at the end of history? Oh, there are jews there? I see.
BTW, I have always heard that it is zionists, not jews in general, the stoke so much hatred. Are all of the targets zionists? Or is one jew pretty much as good as another?
Inquiring minds want to know.
VolMagic on June 19, 2008 at 3:53 PM
Coming soon:
Jews in Canada charged with hate crimes for attempting to defend themselves.
thirteen28 on June 19, 2008 at 3:59 PM
Of course the Dinnerjacket story about the U.S. trying to kidnap/kill him in Iraq plays right into the Chavez angle.
Allah might have written tomorrows headline already. I know he (and we) hope the hell not.
Limerick on June 19, 2008 at 4:01 PM
Funny how that works…
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 4:02 PM
If I were Hezbollah, I would attack some other country - I strongly suspect that we would view an attack on Canada as an attack on the United States. If anything, an attack on Canada would make it easier for the US to attack Iran than an attack on the US - we could state that we were defending an ally, as opposed to simply seeking revenge. It would probably also cause Hezbollah’s support network in Canada to get rolled up, with overwhelming public support.
I also agree with Krydor - Canada is pulling a lot more than its weight in Afghanistan, unlike some other countries I could name (Germany for one).
Realist on June 19, 2008 at 4:04 PM
If they want to attack from Venezuela, this makes sense. But attacking in Venezuela would be pointless. The purpose of terror is to make your enemies feel unsafe not to help your friends clear up their Jewish problem.
JackOfClubs on June 19, 2008 at 4:06 PM
An Iranian attack on a NATO member would be SPLENDID news. An instant coalition! It would be Iran writing their own death warrant.
crosspatch on June 19, 2008 at 4:08 PM
Blog points!
Limerick on June 19, 2008 at 4:09 PM
Splendid from the point of view of finally having justification to deal with them once and for all, and with more than just the US. NOT splendid for anyone caught in such an attack. My apologies.
crosspatch on June 19, 2008 at 4:10 PM
You think Jews everywhere would feel safer because there was a bombing in Caracas rather than Toronto?
TheBigOldDog on June 19, 2008 at 4:11 PM
… an attack against the US was unlikely because Iran and Hezbollah did not want to give the Bush administration an excuse to attack.
Peace through strength and superior firepower.
Tony737 on June 19, 2008 at 4:15 PM
And a second question: Why Canada?
Because they had the stones to tell the Sharia law advocates “Take off, eh?”
Tony737 on June 19, 2008 at 4:18 PM
Will Time be called in front of a “human rights commission” now?
Jim Treacher on June 19, 2008 at 4:21 PM
Pissbollah better watch out, or Canada just might send in more peacekeepers.
Akzed on June 19, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Canadian Human Rights Commission springs into action, sues newspapers for reporting this story.
N. O'Brain on June 19, 2008 at 4:24 PM
“Peace through strength and superior firepower.”
But attacking Canada is the same as attacking America … and the UK, and Germany, and soon France and a bunch of other countries too.
An attack on Canada is an attack on:
Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia, France*, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US
Go for it, Iran … I double dog dare you.
crosspatch on June 19, 2008 at 4:25 PM
Hey now… don’t want to tick off da Hockey Players…
The might take ya to the HRC for a HATE CRIME!
Have you lost your marbles? any Canuck hockey player worth his sault would (in no particular order) receive the following penalties:
high stick (5 minutes)
boarding (5 minutes)
slashing (5 minutes)
tripping (5 minutes)
fighting (5 minutes)
spearing (5 minutes)
a 10 minute misconduct and a game misconduct. The terrorist recieving this would be laying on the ice bleeding from multiple wounds, and wondering why he’s seeing 5 of everything.
Footnote for the hockey-impaired: 5 minute penalties for anything other than fighting are because they’re done on purpose with the intent to injure.
I R A Darth Aggie on June 19, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Think the Canadian Human Rights Commission can take a few minutes from persecuting bloggers to look into this?
Just A Grunt on June 19, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Plus, with all the deaths of Iranians, we’d have plenty of soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines to prosecute for war crimes!! Yippee!!
Sincerely,
The JAG Corps
thirteen28 on June 19, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Dont blame this crap on the JAG Corps you prick.
Squid Shark on June 19, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Oh no,
Seth Rogen is doomed.
Squid Shark on June 19, 2008 at 4:46 PM
Time to pay attention to the northern border?
innominatus on June 19, 2008 at 4:50 PM
Don’t call me a prick, asswipe.
thirteen28 on June 19, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Gentlemen, please! The only rule of this board is ELE - Everybody love everybody.
Wait…nope…that’s not it.
Fight’s on!
JadeNYU on June 19, 2008 at 5:11 PM
I like to razz Canada as much as the next American (in a sort of ‘cross-town rivals’ kind of way).
However, Hezbollah and their Iranian puppet masters need to realize that Canadians are family. Just as there are Canadians in Afghanistan helping in that battle, there would be American support in any Canadian efforts resulting from a terrorist attack on Canadian soil.
Hopefully with all the various intel agencies working together they can avert this round of terror attacks just as they have averted hundreds of others in the years since 9/11.
JadeNYU on June 19, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Do they realize how hard they will have to look to find ONE jew in Canada, let alone a bunch, to kill? Purely from a cost / benefit analysis this is a failed project from the start.
Alden Pyle on June 19, 2008 at 5:26 PM
crosspatch,
“Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Rep., Denmark, Estonia, France*, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, UK, US”
So an attack on ANY of those nations by an organization or state would result in retribution?
exhelodrvr on June 19, 2008 at 5:36 PM
I hope they don’t look near any synagogues, or doctors’ offices, bagel stores, or bar-mitzvah parties.
JiangxiDad on June 19, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Great. I live in a jewish area of Toronto but our retarded mayor came to the brilliant realisation that “handguns only serve one purpose: to kill people”, and in typical liberal fashion, decided killing people is ALWAYS wrong and is trying his best to have them all removed from the city. Which means that if there’s a terrorist attack around here all I can do to help my jewish neighbours is go out on the balcony and yell “Run bitch run!” like that black guy from Scary Movie.
Darth Executor on June 19, 2008 at 5:39 PM
Why Canada? Because Canada itself won’t do anything back, neither will NATO, and the U.S. would not attack Iran over that type of an incident. Although it might give Israel an excuse.
exhelodrvr on June 19, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Wish you were right. Know you’re wrong. There are large Jewish populations in Toronto and Quebec.
Funny, though, I thought that Hezbullah and the Arabs aren’t against Jews. They’re against Zionists. So what’s up with choosing “Jewish targets”?
Could it be that—they’re lying to us?
Nooooooo. Say it ain’t so.
Meryl Yourish on June 19, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Krydor - It was the case of the “Ontario 17″ jihadis where officials said that they might never know what brought them together, that they were from a “broad strata” of Canadian society but the the one thing they did know - it had nothing to do with Islam.
That and HRC actions against Steyn, Levant, etc, might make jihadis think Canada would be a pretty soft target.
eeyore on June 19, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Have you ever been in Toronto? There are certain areas where you practically drown in jews. There’s no shortage of targets here. Heck, there’s a jewish primary school and nursery just a few hundred meters away.
Darth Executor on June 19, 2008 at 5:41 PM
“So an attack on ANY of those nations by an organization or state would result in retribution?”
crosspatch on June 19, 2008 at 5:41 PM
Well, our retarded mayor realized “handguns’ only purpose is to kill people” and is trying his best to have them removed from the city. Which means that if there’s a terrorist attack (I live in a jewish neighbourhood) all I can do is go out on the balcony and yell “run b***h run” like shorty from Scary Movie
Darth Executor on June 19, 2008 at 5:42 PM
That is why you see troops from so many countries in Afghanistan, that is a NATO operation. The US was attacked and NATO responded. They might not be DOING all that much in all cases …
crosspatch on June 19, 2008 at 5:43 PM
crosspatch on June 19, 2008 at 5:45 PM
Krydor - It was the case of the “Ontario 17″ jihadis where officials said that they might never know what brought them together, that they were from a “broad strata” of Canadian society but the the one thing they did know - it had nothing to do with Islam.
Well, y’see, there’s what they’ll tell the media and whatnot and what CSIS actually knows. Also, the Liberalist Liberal who ever came out of Liberalville invoked martial law in October, 1970 to crack down on the FLQ. Oddly, they rounded up a bunch of smelly hippies in the process.
Our spy guys have way more latitude as to what they can do and where they can go (as opposed to the FBI). Don’t worry about press clippings. They know that we know who they are. Any attack up here (even on Toronto) will not be tolerated.
That and HRC actions against Steyn, Levant, etc, might make jihadis think Canada would be a pretty soft target.
eeyore
I would think that if they are under the impression we are a soft target, then they are utterly ignorant of the history of this country.
I will not have my country called “appeasers” even as the troops of my country die in Afghanistan.
Krydor on June 19, 2008 at 6:00 PM
crosspatch,
And how did they respond after attacks in Spain?
exhelodrvr on June 19, 2008 at 7:02 PM
I’m shocked, shocked, absolutely shocked. Maybe the Canadian Hate Crime Commission can come riding to the rescue. /Sarcasm
Ooooops, I forgot, speaking out against Islamofacists in Canada, I’d have to assume, even suicide bombers (murders), is considered a hate crime. Oh Canada, you have a serious problem!
byteshredder on June 19, 2008 at 8:06 PM
Man, AP, you’re just good. Best analysis on the net, period.
spmat on June 19, 2008 at 8:25 PM
Hm I believe the US and Canada signed a treaty not so long ago pledging to aid each other in the event of a terrorist attack. Does this extend to retaliation?
aengus on June 19, 2008 at 8:31 PM
“And how did they respond after attacks in Spain?”
The bombings in Spain happened AFTER Article 5 was already invoked so at that point NATO was already committed and there would have been no change in status as a result of those bombings. The people’s response was to elect a slate of Socialists to power who promptly pulled Spain’s troops out of Iraq. But they did keep their troops in Afghanistan.
crosspatch on June 19, 2008 at 8:41 PM
Heh, I never realized there were so many Jews in Canada. All my Canadian experience comes from visiting my college buddy in Newfoundland…honestly everyone there looked like they walked of the set of Slap Shot. No blacks, no jews no gheys. Great folks, always up for a frosty beverage, a ittle to tax heavy for me, though.
Alden Pyle on June 19, 2008 at 8:43 PM
The joke in Toronto (where I’m from) goes that they (the terrorists) would never hit Toronto or Canada because that’s their Club Med. That’s where they live and go to relax. Why would you hit your own vacation destination, and the place that’s most friendly to you?
Other than that, if they’re targetting Toronto Synagogues, I work maybe 2-3 miles from Toronto’s biggest, and this article just makes me feel all warm inside :(
AlexB on June 19, 2008 at 8:45 PM
How far is the trip from a terror-harboring country to a terror-sponsoring country?
Merovign on June 19, 2008 at 8:50 PM
Let’s see how those new passport rules do.
johnnyU on June 19, 2008 at 9:01 PM
you mean McObamahdi?? no theres not. and I’m going to sit this one out.
rather be stabbed in the front, than in the back…thanks!
right4life on June 19, 2008 at 9:20 PM