U.S. Says Iran, Hizbullah 'Stepped up Level of Terrorist Plotting'
Iran is the "pre-eminent" state sponsor of terrorism and together with Hizbullah are pursuing increasingly destabilizing activities around the world since the 1990s, the U.S. State Department's counterterrorism coordinator, Daniel Benjamin, said Tuesday.
“Iran is and remains the preeminent state sponsor of terrorism in the world … and also, together with Hizbullah, as they pursue destabilizing activities around the globe, we are firmly committed to working with partners and allies to counter and disrupt Iranian activities,” Benjamin told journalists after a briefing on the annual "Country Reports on Terrorism."
The report notes that al-Qaida and its affiliates are not the only terrorist threat that the United States faces.
Both Iran and Hizbullah have “stepped up their level of terrorist plotting over the past year … and are engaging in their most active and aggressive campaigns since the 1990s,” Benjamin said.
The international community is increasingly alert to this threat and will resist it, he added.
Asked about a possible involvement of Hizbullah in a suicide bombing attack on Israelis that killed six people in Bulgaria, the U.S. official said: “I’m going to leave that the Bulgarians to characterize.”
But he told journalists that “quite a number” of activities in the world bear the hallmarks of either Iran or the Lebanese party.
Soon after the July 18 bombing of a bus packed with Israelis at Burgas airport, authorities released closed circuit television footage of a long-haired young man dressed like a tourist whom they believe was the suicide bomber.
Israel has blamed Iran and Hizbullah. Tehran has denied any involvement.
The State Department's report said “Hizbullah persisted in using force and threats to intimidate the Lebanese people.”
“The group’s robust relationships with the regimes in Iran and Syria, involvement in illicit financial activity, continued engagement in international attack planning, and acquisition of increasingly sophisticated missiles and rockets continued to threaten U.S. interests in the region.”
The report also said violent extremists continue to find refuge in Pakistan, leading to more aggressive and coordinated attacks in Afghanistan. And warned about gains in Yemen made by al-Qaida's Arabian peninsula offshoot.
In total, there were more than 10,000 terrorist attacks in 70 countries last year. Some 12,500 people were killed, the majority in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.
Still, the global figures reflected a 12 percent drop in terrorism from 2010.
01 August 2012, 08:43
621
I pray for the day when hizb will be absolutely annihilated by Israel for the sake of the Lebanese people.
01 August 2012, 10:51
510
your so called Hizbullah is not The Lebanese People, Sorry! It is a shiite sectarian hateful group of thugs implementing a devilish sectarian scheme called wilyat al faqih. It is an alien culture imposed on the lebanese shia through weapons. When these weapons are removed, lets see how many "Lebanese" will support your hizb....!
01 August 2012, 13:46
23
Mowaten HA is iranian not lebanese bass I do agree with u this time without name calling I don't want israel to bomb libnan....anyways we don't need them to they r slowly fading away cuz the lebanese pple will slowly topple the syrian,iranian regime in lebanon
01 August 2012, 10:00
175
Your comment is right on the money. The following comments have their own agendas. One of them want Lebanon to be nuked to get rid of HA. I guess he has a turtle shell to protect him.
01 August 2012, 12:00
23
@ Mowaten
Thank you for insulting my Father,and my reply to you is I love you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
01 August 2012, 12:09
12
After having been a political watcher for the past 35 years, never before has the terrorist hand of the Iranian Hizbollah hand been so clear: from the so-called Islamic Jihad then ( to become subsequently Hizbollah!), the kamikaze attack on the American and french barracks in october 1983, the foreign hostage taking, the assassination of the american ambassador, etc...all the way to the assasination of hariri and others, the attempted murder on Harb and geagea more recently, etc...Only one hand behind it all: the basij and their allies ! no one at least in the greater public, was aware a new terror method had been invented by those murderers that are today controlling the government under the threat of arms. Many were caught unaware, despite their political experience, and the insider information they may have had at the time, and paid it with their lives.
01 August 2012, 12:10
12
Today this murderous game has become only too clear no matter how clever their concealed methods and treachery had been over the years...Who had heard of this renegade Mughanyieh and his prowesses until he was send where he belongs to: Hell !Today from Thailand, to Georgia, to Bulgaria, to Argentina, To Egypt, ....everywhere their terrorist DNA is identified ! The only way we're gonna get rid of this vermine, is where it gets a taste of the 15 tons bunker busters and runs for cover! We'll then see who are the real men and who are the boys! Georges Bush commited a great mistake. He should have either taken out both Irak and Iran at the time, or left Irak alone. He stupidly opened the iranian floodgates to the Middle East by pulling down the Iraki wallgate to the East. And this will hopefully be remedied some time very soon.
01 August 2012, 13:01
23
Hezb Iran are saints for sure ,they only deal drugs ,attack a TV station,point there filthy weapons on other Lebanese people,enough we have to watch what we say or they will call us jew lovers.
01 August 2012, 13:42
14
Normally I don't go against u guys but it has been prooven that it was the doing of bush and israel that's y some 4000 israelis didn't show up to work that day....and they blamed it on afghanis that worked for the us government....but then again HA needs to take a hike B4 they bring a war back to libnan
01 August 2012, 13:49
32
This is for flamethrower....if pple follow shiism then they should stop calling themselves muslims cuz islam is supposed to bring peace not hatered
01 August 2012, 14:09
32
@makhaleh
So you think if people are shiites then they are not muslims simply because you are blinded by your hate for shiites (and not all of them I am sure as you have not yet had the pleasure to make our acquaintance!)
Have you no sects in any other religion? Islam is islam and Sunnis and Shiites are just sects of Islam and I personally would have preferred if there were not two different interpretations or practice to one religion but I believe that happens and has happened throughout time.
Shiism is NOT EQUAL to Hatred as you would like people to think since you so blatantly said it above.
The only hateful thing on this page is YOU! And I feel sorry for you, to be honest.
And as the phoneician said above, I love you in the name of Allah (SWT), Mohammad (SAW), Ali (AS), Fatima (AS), Hassan (AS) and Hussein (AS).
01 August 2012, 19:02
11
All I heard is bla bla bla from both of u guys...its very simple u should be practicing islam very simple islam not shiism wala sunnism simply islam so u guys talk all u want I simply didn't read ur comments cuz ur ideoligy is give me a weapon plz guys grow up....call ur selves muslims ba2a I don't care if ur shiat or sunni bidalkon misilmiin unless shiism is another religion
01 August 2012, 19:07
10
Listen man I'm not trying to bring hatred last time I was trying to say wat u said I got called a jew from a guy stating innou shiiat is the true islam so plz understand where I'm coming from...I call myself a muslim that's it if u ask me sunni or shiat I say muslim but then I c something else when I say that...ur a jew not a muslim
01 August 2012, 19:12
11
Bass then again I remember that HA went up and said sunnis are weak when siniora was primeminister
01 August 2012, 20:15
21
Hezb never said Sunnis are weak.
Provide me your sources and who told you this. You can't make claims without backing them up.
P.S.: You'd never last a week in university as they'd fail you with that type of flawed analysis.
01 August 2012, 19:08
10
Listen man I'm not trying to bring hatred last time I was trying to say wat u said I got called a jew from a guy stating innou shiiat is the true islam so plz understand where I'm coming from...I call myself a muslim that's it if u ask me sunni or shiat I say muslim but then I c something else when I say that...ur a jew not a muslim
01 August 2012, 13:52
12
This is why we gave Iraq to Iran, as a payback for September 11, since all of the thugs were sunnis. We knew Saddam had nothing to do with it. But who can challenge Bush and his powerful jewish lobby in the US. You will be listed as a terrorist, then they will send you and your family a drone.
01 August 2012, 14:33
12
@Mowaten
It is because of the love of my people i said the above and if you have any honour and admit the true motivations of hizb you would say the same,they are destroying the entire being of Lebanon.
01 August 2012, 20:05
01
isnt that what HA is doing right now too and i remember Aoun stealing what was it 15 million dollars from the lebanese people and who is stealing from march 14..anyways this is pointless with u dude cuz like always ur gonna find something else and complain abt it...one question how many times did ur group block the cabinet sessions
01 August 2012, 20:17
10
Actually, both M8 and M14 have some thieves that seek to maintain their monopolies in different economic sectors.
Lebanon will not advance as long as the people support corrupt politicians.
01 August 2012, 20:32
10
Iv noticed how Israel and US is exact image of Iran and Hizballah ... You got one super power and a puppy following it. Also their liked by a few and hated by many
02 August 2012, 08:22
10
I agree with Mowaten. Many Christians seem to have forgotten what Christianity is all about. "Hoping" for Israel to annihilate the hizb, is not only anti christian but also an act of high treason to the Country. (Although I am againt the Hizb and I do wish for it to be anihilated - but in diplomatic manners and surely not by our ennemies!)
02 August 2012, 10:30
10
Close down this stupid site that promotes hate. I am inclined to assume that the site's administration is interested in promoting the culture of hate. The role of the media is to educate and play a constructive role in society.
02 August 2012, 10:33
10
"Your comment will be displayed after administrator approves it"
If this is the case, then you condone the profane and racist language that appear on your site.
