U.S. State Department downplays Iran role in Latin America.

The Blind Leading the Blind. By Marten Van Cleve born 1527 - died 1581 .

U.S. State Department downplays Iran role in Latin America.(TI).Iran is not supporting active terrorist cells in the Western Hemisphere, according to a State Department report that is likely to ignite a major battle with Capitol Hill, The Washington Post reported.

Although the number of Iranian officials operating in Latin America has increased in recent years, Tehran has far less influence and activities than some congressional Republicans have suggested, sources familiar with the report said.

The analysis found no reliable information pointing to imminent Iranian-backed terrorist plots in the Western Hemisphere, said sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the secretive nature of the report and because it had not yet been sent to Congress.

The State Department declined to comment on the document.

The findings are likely to baffle lawmakers who pushed legislation that mandated the State Department to produce the report, along with a strategy for countering "Iran's growing hostile presence and activity in the Western Hemisphere."

Support for the legislation rose after the Justice Department claimed in 2011 that Iran attempted to hire a Mexican drug cartel to assassinate a Saudi diplomat by bombing a Washington restaurant. An Iranian-American was recently sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring in the plot with the Iranian military.

Although Congress cited that case as a reason for the State Department to more closely scrutinize Iran's presence in the hemisphere, the Hollywood-like and far-fetched quality of the case also spawned skepticism among foreign policy insiders.

"I don't believe the State Department ever wanted to do this report. We sort of forced them into this position," Rep. Jeff Duncan, South Carolina Republican, said Friday.

Mr. Duncan, who worked with Rep. Brian Higgins, New York Democrat, in pushing legislation that mandated the report, said State Department officials have privately "played down" the Latin American activities of Iran and Hezbollah.

He explained that, during a congressional visit to Paraguay in August, he was briefed by a senior member of the South American nation's police forces.

"It was very clear to him that the Iranians and their proxy are very active in that region," Mr. Duncan said. "But that was different from a watered-down assessment we got from State Department officials there at the U.S. Embassy in Paraguay," he said. "They really played down the Hezbollah and Iranian activity."

One source, outside the government but close to the Obama administration, said the State Department report will conclude that "yes, there are a lot more Iranian agents in the region and that tabs are being kept on them."

Although U.S. officials are "not foreclosing the possibility that networks could be activated, there is no hard evidence of any plots," the source said.

Such comments suggest that the report drew from the same well of intelligence that resulted in the carefully worded analysis of Iran in the State Department's annual Country Reports on Terrorism last month.

The words "Western Hemisphere" and "Latin America" were notably absent from the assertion that "Iran and Hizballah's terrorist activity has reached a tempo unseen since the 1990s, with attacks plotted in Southeast Asia, Europe, and Africa."

Although the analysis found that Iran has "continued to try to expand its presence and bilateral relationships" in Latin America and that sympathizers in the region "provide financial and ideological support" to al Qaeda and Hezbollah, the outright conclusion was that "there were no known operational cells of either al-Qa'ida or Hizballah in the hemisphere."

Such findings have prompted some analysts to praise the State Department and the Obama administration for standing up to attempts by some in Congress to hype the Iranian threat.

"Most of the evidence that's been cited publicly by these people who are claiming Iran is using Latin America as a base to launch attacks has either been disproven or remains questionable," said Christopher Sabatini, the head of policy at the Council of the Americas in New York.Hmmmm......What could go wrong?Read the full story here.

Related: Argentinian Prosecutor accuses Iran of infiltrating South American countries.

Canadian - Lebanese? Muslim woman and her teenage daughter trying to cross US border with $59000 hidden in their bra.

Canadian - Lebanese?  Muslim woman and her teenage daughter trying to cross US border with $59000 hidden in their bra.(VS).

A woman believed to be from the Windsor area is in jail in Michigan for allegedly trying to smuggle tens of thousands 0f dollars across the border by padding her bra with cash.

Moura El-Asmar, 51, will have a bail hearing in Detroit today. She was arrested on the American side of the Windsor-Detroit tunnel Sunday after she and her 16-year-old daughter, Jacinta, were patted down during secondary inspection.

Both were found to have cash totaling $59,000 sewn into the linings of their bras.

The mother and daughter had a travel itinerary that showed they were catching a flight to Lebanon later that day to visit relatives.

According to documents filed in U.S. District Court, Moura El-Asma told border officers she was carrying $3,300. When her purse was searched in secondary inspection, officers found more than $15,000.

Moura El-Asmar allegedly told the officers she hadn’t counted the money and didn’t realize she had so much.The total amount was nearly $73,000.

An officer patted her down and noticed what was described as a “bulky mass” on her bra. She was searched and was found to have four bags sewn into her bra. Three bags contained $10,000 each and the fourth had $9,000.

The daughter was searched and was found to be carrying $20,000 in two bags sewn into her bra.

Moura El-Asmar admitted to officers she had sewn the money into the bras, according to the court document. Her daughter said her mother had asked her to wear the cash-laden bra, but she had no idea how much money was in it.

Moura El-Asmar allegedly told the border officers she didn’t want to declare the money because she didn’t want her driver – her boyfriend Michel Barnaba – to know that she had so much money.

Moura El-Asmar allegedly told the border officers she collects a disability pension and has a paper route. Her daughter babysits and another daughter works at a travel agency.

Border officers say they ran a criminal background check on Moura El-Asmar and found she has been convicted in Canada twice for theft under $1,000, in 1992 and 1993. The convictions would prevent her from entering the United States. Hmmmm.....I guess Nasrallah will have to find another way to pay his fighters.Read the full story here.

Iranian parliament speaker: Iran to support Syria under any circumstances.

Iranian parliament speaker: Iran to support Syria under any circumstances.(TI).Iranian parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani met with his Syrian counterpart, Mohammad Jahad Alham in Tehran, IRIB News reported.

During the meeting Larijani noted that Iran, under any circumstances would be supportive of Syria.

Larijani noted that because of international oppression and rapacious powers of some regional countries, the current situation in Syria exists.

Iranian speaker said that due to endurance and perseverance, Syrian government and people would prevail.

Mohammad Jahad Alham, who arrived in Iran yesterday in his turn thanked Iran for its support during hard times in Syria, and said that Syrian people and government are ready to use all their options and opportunities.

Anti-government protests have continued in Syria for more than two years. According to the UN, the total number of victims of the conflict in Syria exceeds 70,000 with around three million in need of humanitarian assistance. The Syrian authorities say they oppose the well-armed militants.Read the full story here.

Jewish Leaders Welcome French Move To Designate Hezbollah A Terrorist Organization.

Jewish Leaders Welcome French Move To Designate Hezbollah A Terrorist Organization.(Matzav).Jewish organizations around the world welcomed the French government’s decision to support the designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization by the European Union. This follows the declaration by the Bulgarian government of Hezbollah’s responsibility for the attack in Burgas in July, 2012 and the conviction of a Hezbollah operative in Cyprus.

“During the Conference of Presidents Mission to France, we had extensive discussions about this issue with President Hollande, Prime Minister Ayrault, and Foreign Minister Fabius, and found them responsive to the arguments we put forward,” said Richard Stone, Chairman, and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

“We hope that other European countries will now follow and join to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization which would impose restrictions on various dealings and transactions, in which Hezbollah is a party. Hezbollah’s involvement in terrorism around the world continues to increase, including in Syria and other parts of the Middle East.
The designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization by the European Union will send an important message about the determination of Europe to deal with terrorism seriously.”Read the full story here.

Ex-CIA man Reza Khalili: Iran Fordow blast largest sabotage act in decades.

Ex-CIA man Reza Khalili: Iran Fordow blast largest sabotage act in decades.(JPost).HT: IsraelMatzav.Former Iranian Revolutionary Guard turned CIA agent Reza Khalili has told the Jerusalem Post that the destruction of the Fordo uranium enrichment plant is the largest case of sabotage in decades.
Speaking to the Post on Monday, Khalili expressed confidence that the alleged blast will receive "further coverage in the US," and that "more information" will become available to verify the incident.
"This is the center of the Iranian nuclear program. It's essential for the regime, its activities, and its nuclear program. If such a blow was given to Fordow, it definitely harms [Iran] drastically. They were reaching for 20 percent uranium enrichment, and were increasing output," he added. ...
Asked why satellite imagery was not being released of rescue efforts at Fordow, Kahlili said only state intelligence agencies have access to live satellite feeds. "Why don't they put it out? My only assumption is that no one wants to take credit because of what the consequences could be by the regime," he said. "This is a very sensitive time. I'm sure that soon, very soon, more information will leak out. Chatter will get loud enough to provide further information."
Kahlili went on to say that the "first suspicion is Israel" within the Islamic Republic. "I have verified information that there was a meeting [called by Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali] Khamenei. A decision was made to act in Lebanon. A request was made to [Hezbollah chief Hassan] Nasrallah to vacate southern Lebanese villages. Islamic Republic Guards are on their way there. A decision has been made to prepare for missile launch from a certain area in Lebanon against Israel," he said.
Khalili said one of the sources who initially leaked information of the blast came from within the security forces guarding Fordow, adding that precise information of the attack was not being released in order to protect the source. "The source has been collaborating for a long time," he said. A second source came from the Iranian Intelligence Ministry, he said, adding that it was very difficult to safely get information out of Iran.
Iranian authorities have not yet made any progress in their attempt to enter Fordow, Kahlili asserted, adding, "I fear there is radiation involved." Iran's defense ministry dispatched drilling vehicles, "the same they used to carve tunnels and create underground facilities, to see if they can make any headway in opening emergency exists, because they collapsed. Among those stuck in the facility are dozens of foreign nationals. These are contracted scientists," he said.
Kahlili said a second mysterious blast occurred in Tehran last week, at an IRGC base called "21 Hamza." "There are injuries, and there have been arrests of IRGC members who are being questioned. The Intelligence Ministry suspects sabotage," he added.Read the full story here.