Brazil arrests 3rd suspect in case Israel says is linked to Hezbollah

On Monday, Brazilian authorities reported the apprehension of a third individual implicated in planning terrorist activities within the nation, a scheme that, according to Israel, received support from Hezbollah in Lebanon.

This plan was uncovered last week when Brazil’s federal police executed several search operations in various states, leading to the arrest of two individuals in Sao Paulo as part of an anti-terrorism probe.

The police announced that they detained a third person linked to this investigation on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro.

During their initial court appearance on Friday, the first two individuals detained in this matter refuted the charges against them.

According to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, they played a significant role in thwarting this alleged conspiracy. Mossad claims that Hezbollah orchestrated the plot, targeting Israeli and Jewish sites in Brazil.

Hezbollah, which is supported by Iran, has ties with Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist faction that is in a long-standing and violent conflict with Israel.

Brazilian officials have expressed strong disapproval regarding Israel’s comments on this case. Justice Minister Flavio Dino criticized the premature judgments about an ongoing investigation for propagandistic motives on Thursday.

Dino mentioned that the Brazilian probe began prior to the latest flare-up in the Israel-Hamas conflict, which started on October 7.

Terror-related operations are uncommon in Brazil, a nation that has not experienced a significant terrorist attack. Brazil hosts approximately 107,000 Jewish people, constituting the second-largest Jewish community in Latin America, following Argentina.

Security analysts have been monitoring suspected Hezbollah activities in the “tri-border area” of South America, where Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay meet. This region is noted for its substantial Lebanese-origin population.