U.S. Official: 'Hizbullah Operatives are here in the U.S.'
The chairman of the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee has expressed concern over the alleged infiltration of Hizbullah operatives along the U.S. border from San Diego to Texas.
Rep. Michael McCaul told Team 10 website that the Hizbullah members are getting help from Mexican drug cartels.
"Hizbullah operatives are here in the United States," said McCaul. "Hizbullah has a large presence in Latin America."
His comment came after his committee released a report titled "Line if the Sand" that details how Hizbullah is allegedly getting onto U.S. soil.
Team 10 said that the relationship between Hizbullah and countries south of the U.S. described in the report has become stronger since it first reported on the issue two years ago.
"While before they had a relationship about money, finance, the fact they could become operational is very much a national security concern," McCaul said.
The report states that Hizbullah continues having a strong relationship with Venezuela, despite the recent death of President Hugo Chavez.
Direct flights between Tehran and Caracas provides easy access for operatives into the Americas, it said.
The cartels then help the Hizbullah fighters by providing safe passage along their drug and human trafficking routes into and out of the U.S., the report added.
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