Is Brazil the new breeding ground for Islamic militants?
The Al-Qaeda are believed to be setting up base in Brazil creating a cloud of suspicion over the country that is increasingly being regarded a hideout for Islamic militants. The South American country is suspected to be a base for the Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim group Hezbollah, the Palestinian group Hamas and two other organisations apart from 2- affiliates of the Al Qaeda.
Though it still remains uncertain on where they plan to perpetrate the next attacks, as quoted by the US government and the Brazilian police. The United States has earlier stated that Islamic militants have been spreading operations in the border region between Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina. Though Brazil has denied this, there were reports that members of Brazil's Lebanese community had allegedly legally transferred funds to the Middle East.
The magazine Veja had reported that a Lebanese man named Khaled Hussein Ali, who has lived in Brazil since 1998 was a key member of Al-Qaeda's propaganda operation and led terror operations in 17 countries. Veja also added that he was arrested in 2009 and found incriminating evidence that directly linked him to Al Qaeda. He was also found to possess mails that showcase extreme hatred towards Jews and blacks.
Hussein was later released as the prosecutors failed to pursue the charges in court that include racism, inciting crime and gang formation.
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